YOUR BABY 




E.B. LOWRX M.D. 



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YOUR BABY 



BY THE SAME AUTHOR 

HERSELF 

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YOUR BABY 

A Guide for Young Mothers 



BY 



EDITH B. LOWRY, M.D. 

Author of "Herself," "The Home 



Nurse, ' ' etc. 




CHICAGO 

FORBES & COMPANY 

1915 






COPYRIGHT, I9I5, BY 
FORBES AND COMPANY 






7 1915 
©CI.A414657 



PREFACE 

It is estimated that nearly half the babies born 
into this world die before they are a year old. 
Statistics prove that the great majority of these die 
of some intestinal trouble, that their deaths might 
have been prevented by proper care, especially in re- 
gard to feeding. 

The mothers of these babies could not be blamed 
for this lack of intelligent care, for they gave the 
best they knew how to give. The blame lies deeper, 
for the mothers never had received any training for 
their very important work of motherhood. 

In some countries every able-bodied man is re- 
quired to serve three years of military service. In 
this way the country hopes, in time of war, to be 
prepared with efficient men to protect its inhabitants 
and their homes. Some one has suggested that, to 
prepare for the protection of the future generation 
in time of peace, women should be required to pass 
through a period of training lasting just as long, 
but devoting themselves to the study of the care of 
children, hygiene and nursing. Even women who 
never become mothers themselves, in this way, 



PREFACE 

would learn the general principles of psychology, 
hygiene and the care of the sick, which they might 
make use of in any station of life. Medical certifi- 
cates regarding the capacity for marriage certainly 
are of more importance than those for military serv- 
ice. 

Many untrained individuals have wrong ideas 
concerning what constitutes proper care of children. 
They are liable to go to one of two extremes. 
Either they are over-indulgent or they are too severe. 
The one disregards all rules of hygiene and refuses 
to conform to any regulations " because the baby 
does not want it." The undeveloped child is al- 
lowed to eat and sleep when it pleases, to follow its 
own caprice in all matters without regard to the 
effect upon its health or without consideration for 
the remainder of the family. The other extremist 
is over-anxious concerning every detail of the child's 
life. The over-watched child is not allowed to 
drink one drop more than the rules prescribe. A 
variation of a few minutes in its hours of sleeping 
is watched with concern. The baby is wrapped and 
toasted and kept so like a hothouse flower that it 
does not develop any power of resistance. One of 
these extremes is as bad as the other. A great deal 
of judgment and common sense, with a foundation 
of knowledge, is necessary for the proper care of 



PREFACE 

babies. It sometimes is a matter of surprise that 
young mothers do not make more mistakes, con- 
sidering their lack of training and experience. In 
no other line of work do we throw such great re- 
sponsibilities upon the untrained worker. It is 
strange that in our great system of public education 
no provision is made to train girls for their great 
work in life. There is no reason why the proper 
care of babies should not be a required study in 
school. It certainly would be of much more prac- 
tical and economic benefit in later life than many of 
the subjects that now are required. 

The present-day mothers who realize how handi- 
capped they are by lack of knowledge of babies, 
should insist that their daughters do not suffer from 
the same lack. Whatever the mothers of the coun- 
try demand should be taught in the schools will be 
placed in the curriculum. 

But for those young mothers who have passed be- 
yond the school age before the needed changes in 
education have taken place, this little book is sent 
forth with the hope that it may aid many a young 
mother to bring up her child to its rightful heritage 
of health and happiness. 



CONTENTS 

PART I 
THE MOTHER 

IAPTER PAGE 

I The Well Born Child 17 

Preparing for the child. — Heredity. — Prenatal 
influences. — The sex of the baby. 

II When Hopes Become Real 29 

Symptoms of Pregnancy. — Probable date of 
labor. — Engaging the physician and nurse. 

III Painless Childbirth 34 

Twilight Sleep. 

IV The Necessary Preparations 54 

What to prepare for baby. — The maternity 
outfit. 

V Care of the Prospective Mother 62 

Clothing. — Exercise and work. — The necessity 
of daily bathing. — Breasts and nipples. — Rest 
and sleep. — The teeth. — Diet. — The bowels. — 
Sewing for the baby. — Mental condition. 

VI Accidents and Incidents of Pregnancy ... 75 
Nausea and vomiting. — Sleeplessness. — Fainting. 
— Constipation. — The kidneys. — Swelling of 
the legs and feet. — Irritability of the bladder. 

VII The Period of Labor 82 

What to do when labor commences. — What to 
take to the hospital. — Child bed fever. — After 
care of the patient. 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

VIII The Young Mother 91 

General care. — Exercise for the mother. — The 
mother's rest. — Nursing the baby. — To increase 
the milk. — Bone forming diet. 

PART II 
THE BABY 

IX First Care of the Baby 107 

The first thing to be done. — To prevent blindness. 

— Care of the mouth. — The cord. — The first 
bath. — Dressing the baby. 

X Weight, Growth and Development . . . .119 
The weight of the baby. — What the baby knows 
when it is born. — What the baby learns the first 
year. — What the baby learns the second year. 

XI General Care of the Baby 129 

The baby's tub bath. — Sex toilet. — Powdering 
the baby. — The baby's sleep. — The baby's rest. 

— Baby's bed. — Exercise for the baby. — Fresh 
air for the baby. — Care of the teeth. — Shoes 
for the baby. — The night clothes. — Diapers. — 
How long should baby wear bands. 

XII What, When and How to Feed the Baby . . 154 
The best food for baby. — Modified milk. — Sugar 
in the baby's milk. — Supplementary feeding for 
the baby.— The older baby. — Selecting the 
baby's bottle and nipple. — Do not feed too 
much. — Care of the baby's bottle. — Water for 
the baby. — Teas and soothing syrups. — Beware 
of these baby killers. — Weaning the baby. — 
The older child. 

XIII Intestinal Disorders 176 

Constipation. — Massage for constipation. — Sum- 
mer diarrhoea. — Colic. 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

XIV Some Common Disorders 186 

Jaundice of the new born. — Night terrors. — Bed 
wetting. — Spina bifida. — Thumb sucking habit. 

— Eczema. — Sleeplessness. — Birth marks. — 
Stuttering. — Ear ache. — Cross eyes. — ■ Holding 
breath spells. — Knock knees, pigeon toes. — 
Bow legs. 

XV Accidents and Diseases of Childhood . . .207 
When baby has croup. — Colds. — Pneumonia. — 
Measles. — . Mumps. — Whooping cough. — Scar- 
let fever. — When baby becomes burned. — Be 
careful of drugs. — Look twice before giving 
any medicine. — Do not keep unlabeled bottles. 

XVI The Discipline of Children 227 

How to spoil the baby. — The secret of discipline. 

— Suggestion during babyhood. — Training chil- 
dren while they sleep. — Habits of regularity. — 
Fear in children. 



PART I — THE MOTHER 



The bearing and training of a child 
Is woman's wisdom. 

Tennyson. 



YOUR BABY 

PART I — THE MOTHER 
CHAPTER I 

THE WELL BORN CHILD 

It is safe to say that until recently few people 
had any definite idea of what was meant by the 
science of eugenics. By some it was looked upon 
as a passing fad which soon would run its course 
and be forgotten. Recently, though, the real mean- 
ing of the word has been so brought to the attention 
of the general public that now nearly every one has 
some opinion on this vast subject. 

Sir Francis Galton, who coined the word " eu- 
genics," defined it as " the science which deals with 
all influences that improve the inborn qualities of 
the race." We know that farmers have found it 
necessary not only to attend to the growing plants 
but to select the seeds from which they are grown, 
17 



YOUR BABY 

and that stock raisers have found it necessary to 
give strict attention to breeding in order to improve 
the quality of the domestic animals. 

Considering these two facts, thinking people have 
come to the conclusion that it is necessary to give 
some thought to the conditions surrounding the 
birth of children. Every child lias a right to be well 
born, to have a birthright of good health, freedom 
from inherited taints and to be endowed with an 
unblemished brain and nervous system. Any one 
who deprives a child of this heritage should be 
treated as a criminal. 

Preparing for the Child 

The preparations for the birth of a child should 
commence several generations before its conception. 
As it is impossible for us to regulate the lives of our 
ancestors the best we can do is to commence with 
the present generation. 

Young men and women should be impressed with 
the fact that while so-called social position should 
not be of great weight in the selection of a mate, yet 
the mental and physical condition of the ancestors of 
the future husband or wife should be considered, for 
feeblemindedness and some diseases are transmis- 
sible by inheritance. One should investigate the 
18 



THE WELL BORN CHILD 

quality of the family into which he or she is marry- 
ing. 

Every child has a right to be well born. An un- 
desired child never should be brought into the world. 
An undesired child, or a child of parents who are 
not in good bodily or mental condition comes into 
the world with an inheritance that perhaps never is 
overcome. 

Heredity 

The question of heredity has received considerable 
attention during recent years. As a result, many 
of our old time theories have undergone a decided 
change. Many of the diseases that formerly were 
thought to be acquired through inheritance we now 
know to be contracted through lack of care or 
through association. The only inheritance is pos- 
sibly a tendency to a disease and a diminished power 
of resistance. It is a law of pathology that the dis- 
eases of the parents, who suffer from certain serious, 
chronic maladies, create in the offspring a condition 
of defective life shown in malformations or in al- 
tered nutrition. The hereditary influence of most 
diseases is shown in the transmission to the child of 
a defective body shown by feebleness or a diminished 
power of resisting disease. 
19 



YOUR BABY 

Tuberculosis, which once was considered hered- 
itary, now is known to be transmitted by a germ 
which may be found in the sputum or expectoration 
of the patient. It is not well for a person with 
tuberculosis to bear children, for the child of such a 
parent probably would inherit a weak constitution 
which would make it a ready prey to the disease. 
Then, if it were constantly associated with one who 
has tuberculosis, it probably would become a victim 
of the disease. 

There is one disease, known as one of the social 
.diseases, which is truly inherited. This disease. 
syphilis, may be inherited from either parent. In 
many cases the disease is transmitted by the father 
when the mother escapes infection. The inheritance 
seems to manifest itself chiefly in a disordered nutri- 
tion. Even during the first few months of develop- 
ment, this may be so effective as to destroy life. If 
life is not destroyed, the nutritional processes may 
be so affected that the pregnancy will result in the 
birth of a defective child. These children, perhaps 
fortunately, usually die during the first few months 
of their lives. Seldom do they live to maturity. 
Many children who seem to have escaped this in- 
herited trait really have not done so, but their in- 
heritance is not recognized. Some individuals with 
20 



THE WELL BORN CHILD 

defective generative organs owe this to a diseased 
parent. Others suffering from a chronic skin dis- 
order, and many afflicted with epilepsy or some brain 
malformation could trace their inheritance to the 
same source. 

Prenatal Influences 

Heredity is that law by which permanent and set- 
tled qualities of the parent, or of some remote an- 
cestors, reappear in the child. But other forces than 
heredity are at work, too, and these forces which 
modify heredity are called prenatal. The manner 
by which the influence is produced by the father is 
obscure but the seed seems stamped with the imprint 
of his temporary condition of mind or body so that 
these qualities also have a place in determining the 
character of the offspring. The children of drunken 
fathers often are degenerates. 

It is a well known fact that certain mental condi- 
tions influence the physical body. Fear has turned 
hair white and anger has caused apoplexy. If fear 
and anger have such disastrous effects on the human 
body, love and happiness may be expected to have 
just the opposite effects. 

The unborn child is nourished directly from the 
mother's blood. If the mother's mental condition 
21 



YOUR BABY 

can affect her own physical body, it is logical to ex- 
pect that her mental condition can affect that which 
is a part of her, namely her unborn child. A 
woman, who does not desire children and who, when 
she finds one is inevitable, rebels and, in her heart, 
longs for an accident to happen to it, certainly does 
not give the child an enviable impression. The 
ancient Greeks surrounded the prospective mother 
with beautiful paintings and statues so as to give a 
mental impression of beauty to the future genera- 
tion. They were noted as a beautiful race. 

The expectant mother should give her child all 
possible advantages of a good mental impression, 
and, during its prenatal life, the mother should 
think nothing but loving and wholesome thoughts. 
She should train her mind in habits that she 
wishes to impress upon the child. She should cul- 
tivate habits of system, she should cultivate a cor- 
rect taste and ear for music. Her surroundings 
should be artistic but simple. She should live as 
close to Nature as possible. 

The mother's own physical health cannot help but 
affect her child ; therefore the mother should take 
those measures that will promote the health of her 
body. In ancient Sparta the women exercised in 
the gymnasium in order to obtain the highest pos- 



THE WELL BORN CHILD 

sible bodily vigor in preparation for the function of 
motherhood. The Spartans were noted as a race of 
exceptionally strong men. But the mother should 
be careful not to take any violent exercise during the 
prenatal period. Swimming and walking are two 
of the best general exercises that can be taken. 
Housework, with the exception of the heavy lifting 
and scrubbing, is a valuable exercise. The expectant 
mother needs a large amount of fresh air, so she 
should plan to spend several hours a day in the open 
air. It is well for her to sleep out-of-doors, if pos- 
sible, otherwise she should sleep in a room with 
wide open windows. 

The influence of the health, occupations, desires 
and thoughts of the expectant mother upon her un- 
born child cannot be overestimated. At what period 
the greatest influence is exerted only can be a mat- 
ter of conjecture. Some who have given this matter 
considerable thought have decided that during the 
first three months of the embryo the laws for phys- 
ical perfection are especially in force. Students of 
embryology know that during this period there are 
the greatest structural changes and that by the end 
of this period the body is practically perfect, only 
waiting to be developed and strengthened. There- 
fore these scientists have deducted that it is the in- 
23 



YOUR BABY 

fiuence of the first three months that impresses fu- 
ture physical integrity, although this theory has not 
been proven. According to this the mother who is 
strong and well during the first three months of her 
pregnancy will produce a child well formed and full 
of endurance, while the overworked mother produces 
a child who is ever tired and who has little 
strength of resistance. Hence the expectant mother 
always should stop working before she has reached 
the point of fatigue. She never should become 
tired. The entire period of pregnancy should be a 
period of increased mental and physical vigor just 
as it was in primitive days. From the moment that 
pregnancy is suspected it is the bounden duty of 
every woman to take intelligent care of herself and 
to strive by every means in her power to secure for 
her baby its birthright of health. And it is the 
bounden duty of her husband to urge her to do so 
and to give her his intelligent care. 

As soon as she is aware of her condition, if she 
has not done so before, the expectant mother should 
go to her family physician and have a thorough 
physical examination and then proceed to correct 
any abnormal conditions. 

It is very common for young women who have 
stood long hours day after day in the school room, 
24 



THE WELL BORN CHILD 

store or office to have some displacement or inflam- 
mation of the uterus which seriously affects their 
general health. Every one of these disorders is 
liable to become accentuated during pregnancy if not 
corrected in the beginning. Not long ago I had 
occasion to examine a young wife who had exces- 
sive vomiting following conception. An examina- 
tion revealed considerable inflammation which re- 
sponded readily to proper treatment, and the young 
expectant mother soon found herself in much better 
health than she had been for a long time. It is much 
better to give some care to placing the body in per- 
fect health at the beginning of this period than it is 
to suffer from avoidable troubles for many months. 

The second three months of the unborn child are 
considered by some to be the period during which 
the mental capacity of the child is influenced ; there- 
fore during this period the mother should be mod- 
erately active intellectually. 

The last three months have been considered to be 
the moral prenatal period. 

A woman's enthusiasm during the entire nine 
months should be shared and appreciated by her hus- 
band. Probably the fact that it is not is the cause of 
the silence and misunderstanding in so many homes. 

The mental condition of both the father and 
2 5 



YOUR BABY 

mother some little time before conception also helps 
to determine the character of the offspring. 

The Sex of the Baby 

Statisticians tell us that the sexes are practically 
equal in number, taking the world as a whole. They 
sometimes advance this as proof that Nature ar- 
ranges matters quite as they should be, and that in- 
terference on our part is unnecessary. Some even 
go so far as to say that human interference on our 
part would be interference with God's plans. This 
reasoning, however, does not appeal to intelligent 
people. God or Nature, whichever one may choose 
to call it, has given us intelligence with which to over- 
come harmful natural laws, and it is our privi- 
lege as well as our duty, to use that intelligence to 
preserve harmony in any given condition, — in this 
of sex as well as in all others. 

God has given us laws of gravitation, laws of heat 
and cold, laws of health and disease, laws of pro- 
creation. Does a man, therefore, not try to sup- 
port his roof? Does he not artificially warm his 
house? Does he not bear upon disease the knowl- 
edge of medical science? Shall he then blindly 
obey the wild law of procreation, seeking to bring 
no light upon this one paramount law of life? It is 
26 



THE WELL BORN CHILD 

said that the great superfluity of female births in 
civilized countries is due to the inertia of the parents, 
through the unhygienic laws of our social life, and 
that this is true not only of human beings but also of 
domestic animals. This may not be correct, but cer- 
tainly there is some subtle reason for this inequality 
of the sexes, and if science should discover a way to 
adjust matters in such a manner as to bring about 
equality, it will be better for the world. 

There are a great many theories in regard to the 
determination of the sex of the baby. One is that 
the diet of the mother before conception has con- 
siderable influence. It is claimed that in times of 
plenty there are more girls than boys born. As 
proof of this it is instanced that following the Siege 
of Paris nearly all babies born were boys. Another 
example is that bees feed the larvae especially when 
they wish a queen bee. 

The time of the month at which conception takes 
place is considered by others to have an influence 
upon the sex of the offspring. If conception takes 
place soon after the cessation of menstruation, the 
child is more liable to be a girl, while if it takes place 
just before a menstrual period the child is liable to 
be a boy. 

Mental impressions are considered by some to 
27 



YOUR BABY 

have an influence in determining the sex. The 
ancient women gazed at statues of Hercules or of 
the God Apollo when they wished a male child. 
The Bible story of Jacob and the peeled rods placed 
before the sheep when they came to drink is given 
as another instance in proof of mental impression. 

The determination of the sex of the baby before 
birth is at most only a conjecture. There is no 
positive way in which one can predict whether the 
coming baby is a girl or a boy. We frequently hear 
that the size of the abdomen may be taken as a 
guide, but this is not true, for the size of the ab- 
domen varies with the amount of liquor amni (water 
in which the baby floats), the condition of the mus- 
cles, and with the number of offspring. Twins may 
account for an unusual size to the abdomen. 

By the aid of a stethoscope a physician can count 
the foetal heart beats and their rate is a fair guide 
to ascertaining sex, for boy babies, as a rule, have a 
slower pulse rate than girls. 



28 



CHAPTER II 

WHEN HOPES BECOME REAL 

The first question that occurs to the prospec- 
tive mother is what are the signs and symptoms, 
the natural accompaniments of her condition. 

Symptoms of Pregnancy 

Some of the symptoms of pregnancy are the sup- 
pression of the menses (monthlies) with morning 
sickness sometimes accompanied by nausea and 
vomiting at different periods of the day. Usually 
there is a darkening of the areola (brown ring sur- 
rounding the nipple). Later there will be an en- 
largement of the abdomen. There may be an in- 
ability of the bladder to retain the urine, and later 
a secretion of milk in the breasts. One of the more 
significant signs which occurs about the fourth or 
fifth month of pregnancy is "quickening" or the 
feeling of life. This usually is described as the 
sensation of fluttering. 

29 



YOUR BABY 

Probable Date of Labor 

The average duration of the period of waiting for 
the expectant mother is nine calendar or ten lunar 
months. To find the probable date of confinement, 
count back three months from the date of the close 
of the last menstrual period and to this date add 
seven days. For example, if the last menstrual 
period ended December seventh, we count back three 
months which gives us September seventh, then 
adding seven days we have September fourteenth 
as the probable date of confinement. With the first 
child, confinement may come a week or two early. 

When the date of the last period is not known, the 
best method is to reckon from the first time move- 
ment is felt, or from the period of quickening. 
This occurs about the seventeenth week, so if we 
count four and a half months from this date we are 
nearly correct. Of course the date obtained by 
either method is not absolutely correct but usually it 
is within a week of the exact date. 

Engaging the Physician and Nurse 

As soon as the expectant mother is aware of her 
condition she should engage the physician and nurse. 
It is well to consult with the former before engag- 
ing the latter, for the physician has a good oppor- 
30 



WHEN HOPES BECOME REAL 

tunity to be able to judge of the qualifications of the 
nurse. Many a nurse is excellent in certain classes 
of cases but unsatisfactory in others. The obstetric 
nurse needs to be especially fitted for this work; 
for she will have two patients instead of one, and it 
depends upon her to a great extent whether the 
care of the baby is to be a pleasure or a great burden 
to the young mother. The first ten days of a 
baby's life are the most important of its existence. 
During this ten days, habits are established that it 
will take months to change. If the baby is started 
right, its care will not be a burden. A baby can be 
so spoiled during this first ten days that it will de- 
mand almost constant attention day and night. If 
it is held in the arms very much during this time 
it will demand the same treatment later, but if dur- 
ing this time it is put to sleep, as it should be, in a 
separate bed and left undisturbed between feedings 
it becomes accustomed to these regular habits and 
the mother will find that the later care is much 
easier. During this first ten days, regular hours for 
feeding should be established and the baby should be 
trained to require little attention at night. The 
mother needs her rest at night in order to be strong 
enough to furnish good milk for her baby and give 
it the proper care. The thoroughly qualified ob- 
3i 



YOUR BABY 

stetric nurse takes pride in establishing right habits 
for the baby and it is she who is largely responsible 
for the kind of habits formed by the baby. So it 
becomes very important to engage the right nurse 
for this very important period. 

Physicians, also, vary in their ability on these 
cases. Some physicians make a specialty of this 
obstetrical work, while others avoid it as much as 
possible because they prefer to give their energies 
to other lines of practice. So it is important for 
the expectant mother to inquire carefully in regard 
to the physician engaged for this event. 

At the first consultation, the physician should 
make a thorough examination to determine if there 
is any deformity, or any condition that needs cor- 
rection. At this time, also, he will give her general 
directions as to her care. From this time on she 
should report to the physician at least once a month 
so that he may keep a close watch of her general 
health. At each of these visits, she should take 
with her a specimen of urine to be examined. This 
urine should be the first that is passed in the morning 
and should be placed in a bottle that has been boiled 
previously. By an examination of the urine, the 
physician can determine the condition of the kidneys, 
which quite frequently are affected during this 
32 



WHEN HOPES BECOME REAL 

period. If he finds any deviation from the normal 
he can correct it before it has proceeded far enough 
to cause serious trouble. Many cases of eclampsia, 
or convulsions, might thus have been avoided. 

All during the nine months the expectant mother 
should consider her physician as her chief adviser. 
Whenever any question comes up that affects her 
health or the health of her child she should ask 
his advice rather than that of the various women in 
the neighborhood, many of whom, though well 
meaning, have entirely wrong ideas and may give 
the wrong advice. Just because a woman has had 
several children does not make her competent to ad- 
vise others, for she may have given her own children 
such improper care that several of them died or were 
sickly. Over half the deaths among babies are due 
to improper care. 

At any time that the mother notices any unusual 
occurrence or symptoms she should consult the 
physician at once. The office of a physician should 
be that of a trusted adviser, and during this period 
of a woman's life she should feel free to consult 
with him whenever she desires. There are many 
disturbances of the general health which may be cor- 
rected by a little care, perhaps only a regulation of 
the diet will be necessary. 
33 



CHAPTER III 

PAINLESS CHILDBIRTH 

Much of the pain and danger incident to child 
bearing can be prevented if the mother is given 
proper care both before and during labor. The 
early care seems to have been overlooked to a great 
extent. In these days of modern surgery and anti- 
septic measures it is possible to do many things that 
would have been hazardous a few years ago. In 
some cases of deformed pelvis where it would be 
impossible to give birth to a living child at full term, 
it is possible by the induction of premature labor or 
Cesarean section to save the child without added 
danger to the mother, yet these wonderful feats con- 
cern only a few women. The simple laws of hygiene 
are more important to the majority. 

Childbirth is a natural process and should be at- 
tended with little pain or danger. Yet many women 
are made invalids for life from lack of proper care 
both before and after this event. To get up im- 
34 



PAINLESS CHILDBIRTH 

mediately after labor may seem very wonderful. 
We wonder at, perhaps admire, the squaw who picks 
up her newly born babe and follows the trail. 
When we come to know more about these women 
we find no reason to emulate them. They are 
harmed by their customs. Many die. Practically 
all have permanent disorders. When we come to 
know all the facts, we find nothing left to commend 
except the stoicism with which they endure the harm 
resulting from their bad methods. 

The changes undergone by a woman during the 
weeks after labor are far reaching. Consider one 
— the abdominal muscles which have been stretched 
for months. In order that these muscles shall get 
back to where they were before, they must have care. 
A few days of planned exercises and care will ac- 
complish much. Work does not accomplish the 
purpose. 

Many women consider that the services of a physi- 
cian are needed only at the time of labor, yet this 
really is only a small part in comparison with the 
care needed before and after. The various " nat- 
ural " healers achieve their success in painless 
childbirth because of the fact that the expectant 
mother is prepared properly for the interesting 
event. 

35 



YOUR BABY 

Normal Childbirth 

Childbearing is a perfectly natural function of 
the female body and should, therefore, be performed 
as healthily and as easily as any other regular duty, 
but we cannot expect childbirth to be a normal or 
an easy feat if the body is feeble and lacking in tone 
any more than we would expect a machine to stand 
a great strain if it had been allowed to become 
rusty and weak in parts instead of being well oiled 
and kept in good repair. 

By some lack of logic that is precisely what we 
do. We demand that the doctors give us birth 
without pain instead of being willing to plan our 
lives so as to obtain the greatly desired conditions. 
We expect our bodies, the most wonderful of 
machines, to be ready for a great strain, as in child- 
birth, without giving them the proper attention. 
We neglect them from childbirth and then expect 
them to be in such good working order that they 
will respond to an exertion without pain. Just as 
reasonable would it be to expect a man who had neg- 
lected all physical training to be able to run a Mara- 
thon race without having any bad after effects. 

The whole tendency of modern industrialism is to 
place too heavy a burden on the nervous system of 

36 



PAINLESS CHILDBIRTH 

all classes, men and women alike. The most serious 
results are from the undue nervous strain from 
economic pressure which is placed on the growing 
girl at the period of adolescence when the child has 
to assume the burden of self-support and self-direc- 
tion that in many cases overtaxes her system and 
unfits her for future motherhood. 

During the period of development there are great 
changes taking place in the girl's system. This 
change and development requires considerable of the 
girl's strength and naturally influences her nervous 
system. This lessens the amount of energy that can 
be spared to outside interests. Seldom do we rec- 
ognize this fact. As a rule, too much work is re- 
quired in school at this age. The school duties 
should be lessened and the girl allowed to rest on 
the days when Nature requires an extra amount of 
energy. The girl at this age should not attempt as 
much work as a boy does. Her time at this period 
might be better occupied in learning the rudiments 
of housekeeping and homemaking. Then, when her 
body has become better developed, her strength can 
be spared and can be well used in the development 
of her mind. If the nervous strain too common at 
this age could be relieved we would have fewer in- 
37 



YOUR BABY 

valided women, less pain and trouble at childbirth, 
and a healthier and happier posterity. 

If a girl in the business world is entrusted with a 
delicate piece of machinery, she is taught the struc- 
ture, use and care of it. Why is it not just as im- 
portant that the girl who is entrusted with the care 
of delicate mechanism upon whose condition depends 
the health of the future generation be instructed re- 
garding the care of these organs? Instead she is 
left in absolute ignorance and then blamed if she 
mars them. A girl upon marriage is expected to 
learn many things by instinct. When she is en- 
trusted with the care of her first born she is ex- 
pected to know how to care for it. But does she ? 

In all affairs of business we consider well spent 
any time, energy or money that is used in gaining 
better or more modern methods. We do not say, 
" My father and grandfather did that way and they 
got along all right, so I guess their ways are good 
enough for me to follow." Yet babies can come by 
chance and be brought up by instinct in old-fash- 
ioned ways that leave a train of sightless eyes and 
mutilated women. 

Fortunately this is a woman's age, and women are 
awakening to the fact that they have been suffering 
unnecessarily; that many of their aches and pains 
38 



PAINLESS CHILDBIRTH 

were not due to Providence but to a lack of knowl- 
edge of the laws of hygiene and sanitation. Their 
experience in business, in the stores and offices, has 
taught them the necessity of preparation for any 
work. 

A large proportion of the lives of the majority of 
women is spent in homemaking and the bearing and 
rearing of children. It is more necessary that a 
woman be prepared for this, her life work, than that 
she be prepared for a temporary position in an office 
or school, a position which she seldom keeps for 
more than a few years, after which she takes up her 
real life work. A woman who tries to guide her 
household, educate her children, or take her proper 
place in society without adequate education along 
these lines is like a man who attempts to run his 
business blindfolded. The result is a partial, if not 
an absolute, failure instead of the success and hap- 
piness that should be the heritage of every woman. 

Compared with the school life of their grand- 
mothers, the training of the girls of the present 
age is entirely different, but the pendulum has swung 
a little too far. In our eagerness to train the girls 
for their part in the business life, we have been in- 
clined to neglect the training for the other part of 
life — that of homemaker and mother. 
39 



YOUR BABY 

The proper method of feeding babies is more im- 
portant for many girls to know than many of the 
things now taught in our public schools. The keep- 
ing of household accounts is the best of arithmetic 
for these girls. The care of their own bodies and 
a respect for themselves is necessary if we do not 
wish to see young girls painted and dressed as the 
demimonde, and nervous systems ruined for future 
motherhood. Every girl before leaving school 
should have some training for her future work of 
motherhood. The introduction of domestic science 
into the curriculum of the public schools is one of 
the great milestones of educational advancement. 
Correlated with the instruction in cooking, sewing 
and the general care of the home should come the 
care of those very important members of the home 
— the babies — and each girl should be taught the 
care of her own health so that she might be properly 
prepared for motherhood. 

A normal woman, who has not become imbued 
with false ideas and fears, desires children. She 
realizes that motherhood in its highest form is a 
privilege and not a curse. It is the woman who has 
been falsely educated who dreads motherhood. Re- 
cently I received a letter which shows the prevailing 
attitude of many girls. The writer says : 
40 



PAINLESS CHILDBIRTH 

" I am twenty-two years of age, but strange to 
say I am ignorant as far as the knowledge of the 
origin of life is concerned. I am a business girl 
drawing a good salary and have many friends. I 
am the oldest child of a large family of moderate 
means, and have been brought up under Christian 
principles and possess a goodly amount of common 
sense. I have no desire to be a married woman 
for a long time to come. I shudder on account of 
fear to think of becoming a mother. I hear so 
much of woman's pains and aches that I often think 
I would prefer to remain single all- my life, although 
I am perfectly healthy and a happy, cheerful girl. 
My mother is, and always will be, too busy to tell 
me about such matters, although I had a right to 
know long ago." 

This letter indicates that the writer has an abun- 
dance of common sense, but the pity is that she has 
become over-impressed with the possibilities of pain 
and never has been told the wonderful truths that 
would overcome fear. If love is the greatest thing 
in the world, fear and its companion worry certainly 
are the greatest curses of humanity. And the most 
piti ful part is that this fear and worry usually result 
from ignorance which a little instruction at the right 
time could dispel so easily. It is the unknown and 
41 



YOUR BABY 

misunderstood things that we fear. When any 
trouble actually comes, we find strength enough to 
meet it. Anyway the trouble usually is not half as 
bad in reality as it was in prospect. Young girls 
hear so much of the pains of childbirth that this fear 
overshadows the natural longings for motherhood. 

We are realizing more and more that preparation 
for the birth of a child commences several genera- 
tions before its conception, that the laws of heredity 
cannot be denied. However, as it is impossible for 
us to regulate the lives of our ancestors the best we 
can do is to commence with the present generation 
and determine to so train them that the following 
generation will have many of the advantages that 
we have missed. We will strive that the next gen- 
eration of mothers will not look forward to mother- 
hood with fear and trembling as an unknown danger 
for which they are not prepared either mentally or 
physically, but they will be so taught that painless 
childbirth will be their rightful heritage — the result 
of preparation. 

Twilight Sleep 

Although physicians for many years have tried to 
teach that agonizing pain was not necessarily an 
accompaniment of childbirth, that a great deal could 
42 



PAINLESS CHILDBIRTH. 

be done by science and right living to alleviate this 
condition, yet it is only since the furore of " Twi- 
light Sleep," as exploited by two or three magazines, 
that women generally have been giving much atten- 
tion to the subject that so deeply concerns them. 

" Twilight Sleep " was reintroduced to the public 
in such a manner as to have every appearance of a 
paid- for invitation to wealthy women to go to Frei- 
burg. The article even stated that women delivered 
by the " Twilight " method gave birth to healthier 
babies — that the children were better looking, grew 
faster and were stronger. This nonsense in itself 
branded the whole article as unscientific. It would 
have failed to interest any physician or well in- 
formed individual were it not for the harm to the 
public generally that usually results from such an 
article. 

The public, on reading this article, naturally in- 
ferred that this method was something new; as a 
matter of fact the suggestion for the use of scopo- 
lamine and morphine was made over twelve years 
before this article was written and was put to a 
thorough test in this country as well as in Germany. 
While not altogether obsolete, it has been greatly 
modified in hospitals and practically discarded in 
general practice, for the drugs used in producing twi- 
43 



YOUR BABY 

light sleep carry inherent dangers which have not 
been thoroughly eliminated even in Freiburg. 
The majority of physicians agree that the general 
re-employment of this twice discarded method 
would result in repetition of the bad experiences of 
those times. Practiced by especially trained ob- 
stetricians, in a specially equipped maternity hospital, 
with an abundance of trained assistants and nurses, 
the dangers to mother and child may be reduced to 
bring them to a point where one may well consider 
the advantages and disadvantages to more nearly 
balance each other. Even under these circumstances 
one will have to reckon with a certain toll of infants' 
deaths and injured mothers. For general use — 
especially in the home — the drugs are contra-indi- 
cated. 

The history of the method is of interest. Stein- 
buchel first published a paper in 1902, telling of his 
experiences. He began with small doses of mor- 
phine and scopolamine and had no unfavorable re- 
sults. Following his work, many physicians used 
repeated doses of morphine, as well as scopolamine 
— sometimes excessively large doses. Serious re- 
sults followed, particularly the death of the in- 
fant. 

The method in the clinic at Freiburg is substan- 
44 



PAINLESS CHILDBIRTH 

tially as follows : The patient is given a dose of a 
preparation of morphine known as narcophia, which 
is stated to be a double salt of morphine and narcotin, 
containing about 30 per-cent of morphine alkaloid. 
It is claimed to be a scientific substitute for opium 
and that it has advantages over morphine, specifically 
that it is less liable to produce disturbances of the 
respiration or nausea. These claims have not been 
fully confirmed. 

Scopolamine is a drug which produces loss of 
memory. It has its own dangers, as small doses 
sometimes produce very serious results. There may 
follow great disturbance of the nervous system or 
of the heart or lungs. As it is impossible to predict 
when such disturbances will arise, they cannot be 
guarded against. 

Following the first dose of narcopin and sco- 
polamine the patient is given repeated doses of 
scopolamine alone. The object aimed at is to make 
the woman forget her pains, although she may know 
of them at the time. In order to test her mental 
condition, she is shown some object. After an in- 
terval of about half an hour, the same object is 
again shown her, and if she remembers having 
seen it before, an additional dose of scopolamine is 
given. 

45 



YOUR BABY 

A natural inference obtained from reading maga- 
zine literature which has recently appeared on the 
subject is that the physician who withholds this 
method from his labor cases is negligent of his pa- 
tient's rights. The facts are that the method has 
been thoroughly investigated over a long period of 
time and has been found wanting because of the 
dangers connected with it. These dangers are re- 
lated particularly to the direct action of the drugs 
on the mother and child. 

At a recent meeting of the Chicago Medical So- 
ciety, one well known obstetrician reported that of 
ten cases he saw at Freiburg, instruments were re- 
quired in five; the birth pains were weakened and 
birth prolonged in all, while the infants were born 
in a narcotic slumber and suffocated to a degree. 
In only two of the ten cases did he consider the 
method a success. Later he visited the famous hos- 
pitals of Berlin, Vienna, Munich and Heidelberg, 
and in all these was told that this method had been 
tried and discarded. The best American obstetri- 
cians agree that in the past results with this treat- 
ment have not been satisfactory. 

More recently the revival of the Freiburg method 
has led another magazine to enter the field by bring- 
ing forth a method originating in Paris involving 
46 



PAINLESS CHILDBIRTH 

the use of a drug known as detoxicated morphine, 
whatever that may be. 

The editor of the publication states that his 
method is not the Freiburg method, which is a 
dangerous one that can be " administered properly 
only in hospitals, and its use in general practice 
should, and probably will, be forbidden by law," 
but is a method for every physician to use in the 
home. 

The author of the article slightly corrects this 
statement by saying, " The new drug was almost, but 
not absolutely poisonous," and that " in certain cases, 
there is an effect upon the child. The infants born 
are, in the proportion of one to three, voiceless " 
(not breathing), but their lives may be restored by 
the physician producing artificial respiration. It is 
needless to explain that to physicians many of the 
statements contained in these articles are ridiculous. 

The time may come, when, as a result of clinical 
investigation cautiously conducted, a harmless agent 
with which to lessen or abolish altogether the pains 
of labor may be secured, but in the opinion of prac- 
tically every scientific obstetrician that time has not 
arrived yet. 

A great deal of harm always is done when writers 
try to give to the public new methods that have not 
47 



YOUR BABY 

received the endorsement of the medical profession. 
It ever is a case of " a little learning is a dangerous 
thing." These people who send broadcast theories 
that have not been proven, only succeed in benefiting 
the quacks who wax fat by exploiting the public. 
Two instances in recent years should serve to cau- 
tion the thinking public. The Freidman cure for 
tuberculosis was given widely spread notoriety, and 
scientific physicians were condemned for not giving 
their unqualified endorsement to this remedy. They 
were accused of jealousy, while, as a matter of fact, 
they were trying to protect the gullible public. As 
a result of the ill-advised publicity many people spent 
their entire fortunes for that which gave no real 
benefit. 

About this same time " 606 " was given so much 
publicity that many quack advertising men special- 
ists waxed prosperous. In the majority of cases an 
inert or dangerous substitute was passed off on the 
victims. 

So it is with this much-lauded twilight sleep. 
There is a grain of truth mixed with much unwar- 
rantable publicity. It is possible in a well con- 
ducted hospital, with trained nurses and physicians 
in constant attendance, to use drugs and methods 
which would be impracticable and dangerous under 
48 



PAINLESS CHILDBIRTH 

less favorable conditions. American physicians for 
years have been working with the end in view of 
producing a method of painless childbirth. To a 
great extent their labors have been rewarded when 
the patient is able and willing to place herself under 
favorable conditions. It is becoming more and 
more customary for women to go to a hospital to 
be confined. Those who have been once, always 
return when the next occasion arrives. A modifica- 
tion of the methods that have been exploited in the 
magazines has been in use in many of the best hos- 
pitals in America for a number of years. In a great 
many cases, childbirth under these conditions has 
become practically painless, while at the same time 
there is no added danger to the patient. In fact, in 
a well equipped hospital, the danger always is les- 
sened, for there everything is provided for emer- 
gencies no matter how great or small. 

The methods of painless childbirth that have been 
so widely advertised, or their modifications that 
have been found practicable, are essentially hospital 
methods. They would be dangerous in the home 
under less skilled guidance. 

For many years chloroform has proven a great 
blessing to humanity. When given by a skilled 
physician there is very little danger, but if the same 
49 



YOUR BABY 

amount were given by a layman death probably 
would occur. No physician, while giving chloro- 
form, would think of leaving his patient even for a 
minute. 

In the same manner, the drugs given to produce 
painless childbirth are a blessing when given under 
conditions in which the patient never is without con- 
stant attention from skilled physicians or nurses. 
These same drugs, however, would be very danger- 
ous if given in the home on the average country or 
small town case. Under such circumstances, a 
trained nurse is not the rule, while the average pa- 
tient would not be willing or able to pay the physi- 
cian sufficient fee so that he could afford to give her 
his undivided time for even eight hours. Besides, 
in the home the arrangements and surroundings are 
not such as are necessary in this method. 

It would seem, then, that painless childbirth were 
a possibility only for those so situated that they 
were able to go to a first class hospital which is 
prepared for this class of cases. Such is not abso- 
lutely the truth, for physicians have not neglected 
the needs of the women not so fortunately situated. 
The modern well trained obstetrician has many 
methods at his command. There is no one method 
50 



PAINLESS CHILDBIRTH 

of caring for a woman in labor any more than there 
is any one method of treating a person with any 
given disease, as typhoid. 

There is no specific treatment for typhoid fever ; 
even the diet of a typhoid patient must vary accord- 
ing to conditions. The same is true of pneumonia; 
what will benefit one pneumonia patient may injure 
another. More is required of a physician than a 
diagnosis of a disease by name only. If it were 
otherwise, doctors would not be necessary, for the 
majority of people can tell a case of whooping 
cough, of measles, of typhoid fever, and of other 
common diseases. The doctor is supposed to treat, 
not a name, but the individual patient and the par- 
ticular conditions in that patient. 

So there is no best treatment for a woman in 
confinement, but what is best for each patient must 
be settled first by determining the actual conditions 
in the individual. Not all methods are useful in 
every case, for every case is a law unto itself. The 
drug or method, which would bring excellent results 
in a selected case, might do absolute harm in an- 
other in which the conditions were different. Only 
by a thorough examination can the trained obstetri- 
cian decide what method to use in a special case. 
5i 



YOUR BABY 

One of the more recent drugs is pituitary extract. 
In many cases of feeble pains, one dose of this drug 
will bring almost wonderful results and hasten labor 
considerable. However, a great deal of judgment 
must be exercised, for any agent powerful enough 
to help also is powerful enough to harm. Under 
certain conditions where dilatation is not complete 
this drug might even cause enough harm to rupture 
the uterus. In the same manner and for nearly the 
same conditions, quinine has been used for many 
years. This also is of great benefit in some cases, 
but useless and harmful in others. In some cases 
ether or chloroform is given to relieve the pains, 
but even these must be given with caution by an 
experienced physician or the sleep produced may be 
forever. 

At the present time, the best advice that it seems 
one can give women generally, is to go to a hospital 
if possible. If not, select the physician in whom you 
have most faith and who is experienced in this class 
of cases, then allow him to use his best judgment as 
to which method is feasible for your case. You 
may rest assured that the modern American physi- 
cian is as far advanced in useful and harmless 
methods as any physician of any other country, and 
American physicians are constantly on the lookout 
52 



PAINLESS CHILDBIRTH 

for any new method that might be of benefit to their 
patients, but they do not exploit untried and ques- 
tionable remedies or methods. They do not take 
chances or gamble on the lives of the patients who 
entrust their welfare to them. 



53 



CHAPTER IV 

THE NECESSARY PREPARATIONS 

What to Prepare for Baby. The question 
troubling many a young and inexperienced mother 
is " What shall I prepare in anticipation of the com- 
ing of the little stranger?" Many young wives 
have no one near to advise them and so at the time 
of confinement the physician and nurse find that 
many necessary articles are missing among the little 
clothes prepared. 

Simplicity should be the keynote of a baby's out- 
fit and but few articles are necessary. In this day 
of factory-made clothing it is possible to purchase 
a complete outfit ready-made for a reasonable sum. 
Of course much more may be spent on fine French 
embroidery and delicate laces but these are not neces- 
sary. 

However, the majority of young mothers pre- 
fer to have the clothes made at home and with a 
good set of patterns any one who is acquainted with 
the rudiments of dressmaking or who has the faculty 
54 



THE NECESSARY PREPARATIONS 

of following instructions exactly will have no trouble 
in preparing the clothing. A complete set of pat- 
terns for the baby's outfit can be purchased for 
twenty-five cents. 

For a simple outfit the following will be adequate : 

Three soft, white wool, or cotton and wool shirts. 
The latter are more desirable, for they are not as 
liable to shrink. These may be obtained in several 
weights but usually the medium weight is best. The 
smallest size seldom is desirable as it is outgrown 
too soon and should baby prove especially large it 
may be too small at first. 

Three abdominal bands made of soft, white flan- 
nel about eight inches wide and eighteen inches long 
will be needed. A half a yard of flannel cut in three 
strips lengthwise will make these bands. They 
should not be hemmed but the edges may be notched. 
If they are hemmed they are liable to make a crease 
in the baby's skin when pinned tightly. 

Three white flannel skirts should be provided. 
These take the place of the pinning blanket and 
should be made on a band that is about four inches 
wide. Better even than these are the knit " Ger- 
trudes " that fasten on the shoulder. No other 
petticoat is necessary although some mothers prefer 
to have a white cotton skirt which may be trimmed 
55 



YOUR BABY 

with lace or embroidery. The habit of loading the 
baby with unnecessary clothing has passed out of 
fashion and the more simple and less cumbersome 
the outfit the better. 

Six white cotton slips or dresses should be pro- 
vided. These seem more appropriate for a baby if 
made simply. The neck and sleeves may be finished 
with some dainty edging but elaborate trimmings 
are out of place. The dresses should be provided 
with buttons and buttonholes, or tapes, as pins are 
liable to become unfastened. The dresses should 
be made large enough to allow for a large baby. 

Three kimonos made of white outing flannel are 
very useful. As they fasten in front, they are con- 
venient to be worn the first few days of a baby's 
life. After that, they may be used for night dresses. 
Those who prefer nightgowns of a standard pattern 
should provide three. 

About two dozen diapers should be provided. 
One cannot have too many of these. They may be 
made of bird's-eye linen, canton flannel or any other 
absorbent material that is not too heavy. A rub- 
ber diaper is useful to be worn when the baby is out 
for a ride or on special occasions but it should not 
be worn long at a time. 

Besides these, there should be provided two small 
56 






THE NECESSARY PREPARATIONS 

blankets or shawls in which to wrap the baby. One 
is not sufficient as it is liable to become soiled and 
must be changed. The two blankets should be of 
the same weight. The baby also will need a bonnet 
and coat or cape for out-of-door wear. Shoes and 
stockings are not necessary and not desirable until 
the baby is old enough to kick the clothing off. 

■ A card each of small, medium and large safety 
pins will be needed unless one uses the Vanta pin- 
less garments which give excellent satisfaction. 
Five cents' worth of boric acid crystals for making 
a wash for the baby's eyes and mouth, four ounces 
of olive oil for the baby's baths and a box of good 
talcum powder should be in readiness. It is well to 
have the outfit practically complete at least two 
months before the expected time so that an emer- 
gency will not find one unprepared. 

The Maternity Outfit 

Besides the clothes for the baby, there are nu- 
merous things that should be gotten in readiness in 
anticipation of the expected event. Some supply 
houses now make maternity packages which include 
the things that will be needed at labor and the days 
following. However, the majority of women find it 
necessary to plan their own supplies. It is well to 
57 



YOUR BABY 

gather all the necessary articles in one place some 
weeks before the requisite time. To have them all 
together in one drawer or box so that they can be 
found when needed is the best plan. Sometimes 
they are necessary an entire month before the ex- 
pected time so it is well to be prepared for emer- 
gencies. 

In the box should be placed about four clean 
sheets, six towels, an extra nightgown for the 
mother, two wash cloths, a bar of castile or other 
pure soap, a rubber sheet, sanitary pads or gauze 
and cotton, abdominal binders, a bottle of antiseptic, 
besides all the articles given in the list as required 
for the baby. 

A rubber sheet about a yard square should be 
provided. Table oilcloth will do, but it is not as 
soft and is more liable to form wrinkles and crack 
than is rubber sheeting. The latter can be pro- 
cured from fifty cents to a dollar a yard. It is used 
to protect the bed at the time of labor. Later it 
can be used on the baby's bed. 

Two dozen sanitary pads should be provided. 
These may be made of any clean white cloth 
but a convenient plan is to buy a five yard package 
of sterile gauze and a pound roll of absorbent cot- 
ton. A piece of cotton of the desired size is 
58 



THE NECESSARY PREPARATIONS 

wrapped in one thickness of gauze. These pads are 
convenient as they may be burned after use. There 
will be enough of the cotton left to be used in cleans- 
ing the baby's eyes and for other purposes. 

Two abdominal binders for the mother will be 
needed. A yard and a half of muslin torn in two 
lengthwise makes very satisfactory binders. It is 
not even necessary to hem these. It is a good plan 
to have an extra piece of muslin on hand that may be 
used for breast binders if necessary. These are not 
needed in all cases but in others are indispensable. 
The breast binder should be about four feet long 
and eight inches wide. The ends should be split in 
two for a foot and a half, leaving the middle por- 
tion whole for the back. The lower end from each 
side is fastened to the upper one of the opposite side 
crossing in front of the breasts. This method 
leaves the nipples free, but gives pressure on the 
sides of the breast where it is needed. A card of 
large safety pins should be with the binders. 

Some good antiseptic, as a two ounce bottle of 
lysol, should be provided. This is used to make an 
antiseptic solution for an external douche for the 
mother. 

Five cents' worth of boric acid crystals will be 
needed to make a solution for cleansing the baby's 
59 



YOUR BABY 

eyes and mouth and the mother's nipples. Small 
pieces of absorbent cotton or gauze may be used 
for this. Each piece should be destroyed after use. 
The same piece never should be used to cleanse both 
eyes. 

In anticipation of an emergency, as the birth of 
the baby before the arrival of the doctor, a pair of 
scissors, a piece of silk tape and a small bottle of al- 
cohol should be handy. After birth, the cord should 
be tied in two places, the first one about an inch and 
a half from the body and the next one a couple of 
inches further away. It is necessary that the cord 
be tied tightly to prevent bleeding after it is cut, 
The cord is severed between the two ligatures. 

The cut end of the cord then should be wiped 
with a piece of cotton dipped in alcohol. Alcohol 
not only is an antiseptic but it is an astringent and 
helps to cause the cord to dry quickly. The navel 
should be covered with a piece of sterile gauze. In 
the absence of this, a piece of freshly scorched 
linen may be used. 

Every home should be supplied with a bed pan 
and a fountain syringe. These are quite necessary 
in nearly all cases of illness and are required es- 
pecially during the period following confinement. 
60 



THE NECESSARY PREPARATIONS 

The Nursery 

This should be a large well-ventilated room to 
which the sun gains entrance part of the day. 
There should be no plumbing in the room, no drying 
of clothes, including diapers, no cooking of food and 
no gas burning at night. The furnishings should 
be simple so the room can be cleaned easily. The 
temperature should be about 68° F. during the day. 
A pan of water should be kept on the heater to pro- 
vide moisture, especially if the room is heated by 
steam or hot air. 



6l 



CHAPTER V 

CARE OF THE PROSPECTIVE MOTHER 

Clothing. All clothing should fit loosely but 
comfortably. Garments for maternity wear have 
been greatly improved during the last few years. 
The time has gone by when the prospective mother 
appeared several months in a " wrapper." Modern 
maternity dresses have a much different appearance 
and are just as comfortable and healthful. 

The undergarments should be warm. For the 
majority of women, wool is desirable except during 
the hot weather. A union suit usually is more com- 
fortable than separate garments as it does away with 
an extra band around the waist. 

Ordinary corsets should not be worn as they are 
liable to give undue pressure where it is harmful. 
Most of the reliable corset firms now make special 
maternity corsets which are not injurious and in 
many cases are extremely desirable as they sup- 
port the abdomen. 

If every woman could lead a simple, out-of-door 
life there would be no need of any woman wearing 
62 



CARE OF THE PROSPECTIVE MOTHER 

corsets, for the muscles would be strong enough 
to support the body without aid, but in these days of 
so-called civilization when we must of necessity live 
under more or less artificial conditions and the ma- 
jority do not have sufficient exercise to keep the 
muscles in good condition, almost every woman 
needs the aid of well fitting corsets. Of course, the 
woman who is accustomed to going without a corset 
should continue to do so, but the one who always has 
worn corsets will be more comfortable with some 
support. Whatever style of corset is worn, there 
should be no pressure downward, but the corset 
should be so fashioned that it will give an upward 
support to the abdomen. Usually these maternity 
corsets lace on both sides so that they may be regu- 
lated to the increased size of the abdomen. Tight 
garters, or round garters, should not be worn as 
they impede the circulation. During pregnancy, the 
pressure of the enlarging womb on the blood vessels 
of the lower extremities is liable to produce varicose 
veins, and this tendency is increased if there is any 
impediment to the circulation, as from tight gar- 
ters or any tight clothing. The stockings should be 
suspended from the shoulders. The expectant 
mother who is troubled with varicose veins or swell- 
ing of the lower limbs will be benefited by an ab- 
63 



YOUR BABY 

dominal supporter which will relieve the pressure on 
the blood vessels. 

High heeled shoes are an abomination to the 
prospective mother, for they increase the danger of 
falling. Her shoes, preferably, are low heeled with 
medium weight soles and broad toes. Care should 
be taken to avoid damp feet by wearing either heavy 
shoes or rubbers when out of doors if the walks 
are at all damp. Quite often it is necessary to wear 
shoes one or two sizes larger than usual. 

Exercise and Work 

Even up to the day of confinement a woman 
should take some exercise unless there is a positive 
reason against it. Violent exercise should be 
avoided, as well as heavy lifting and high reaching. 

Ordinary housework is excellent exercise and does 
not have any bad effect upon the expectant mother. 
Aside from this, she needs out-of-door exercise 
every day. Walking and swimming are two good 
exercises during this period, as they strengthen the 
muscles of the back and abdomen especially. 

Overwork should be avoided, for it has a dis- 
astrous effect upon both mother and child. If the 
mother's strength is exhausted by overwork, the 
child does not receive proper nourishment and the 
64 



CARE OF THE PROSPECTIVE MOTHER 

mother has not the necessary reserve energy to carry 
her well through labor. 

The Necessity of Daily Bathing 

All during the period of pregnancy the kidneys 
have added work to do and it is of great importance 
that they be kept in good condition. Drinking 
plenty of water during the day will aid in keeping 
them in good condition as the water flushes out the 
kidneys, which may be called the sewers of the 
body. 

Another way to aid the kidneys is by having some 
other organ do part of their work of throwing off 
the waste of the body. The bowels aid in this work 
and if they are kept free the kidneys are relieved of 
some of their work. 

The skin is another excretory organ of the body. 
It constantly is throwing off waste through the tiny 
pores. If these pores become clogged it is natural 
that the skin will not be able to do so much work 
and consequently this neglected part is thrown back- 
on the kidneys. The reason, then, for frequent 
bathing is seen readily. By the use of a daily bath 
the pores of the skin are kept open and if this 
bathing be followed by a brisk rubbing the skin is 
exercised and kept in better condition. 
65 



YOUR BABY 

A cool sponge bath in the morning is refreshing 
and acts as a tonic not only to the skin but to the 
entire body as well. A warm bath at night for 
cleansing purposes is desirable. The bath should 
not be so hot that there is danger of it inducing 
fainting, neither is it desirable to remain in the bath 
too long as the effect is too relaxing. Salt added to 
the bath water acts as a tonic, and makes the bath 
more refreshing. If there is an irritation of the 
skin, common baking soda added to the bath is sooth- 
ing. 

During the last few months of this period, a daily 
application of pure olive oil to the abdomen, breasts 
and vulva will place the skin in a good condition 
and prevent cracking to a considerable extent. 

Vaginal douches should not be taken except upon 
the advice of the attending physician, but usually 
one or two a week are beneficial. The water should 
not be too hot nor used for more than a few mo- 
ments at a time. In some cases the vaginal secre- 
tion is so irritating as to produce pruritis or inflam- 
mation of the genitals. This usually can be re- 
lieved by a douche of warm water containing a 
little baking soda, but if it is severe the physician 
should be consulted. 

66 



CARE OF THE PROSPECTIVE MOTHER 

Breasts and Nipples 

For a couple of months before the termination of 
this period, the breasts and nipples should be bathed 
daily with a mild soap and warm water, dried gently 
and then massaged with pure olive oil or cocoa but- 
ter. All massage should be given gently in a cir- 
cular movement. This treatment will tend to in- 
crease the amount of milk secreted and also to place 
the nipples in a condition so that they will not crack 
or fissure readily. If the nipples are retracted, they 
should be drawn out gently several times a day for 
several months before labor is expected. 

Rest and Sleep 

The prospective mother needs plenty of rest and 
sleep. Only by an abundance of these can she place 
her nervous system in a stable condition. She 
should provide for at least eight hours sleep at night, 
besides a nap during the day. 

The usual marital relations are distasteful to many 
women at this time and under such circumstances 
should be discontinued. In most cases it is better 
that the husband and wife should sleep in separate 
beds. These relations always should be discontinued 
during what would be the regular menstrual periods, 
67 



YOUR BABY 

for they are liable to bring about an abortion at 
this time. Many educators claim that if the marital 
relations were discontinued during the entire period 
of pregnancy, the child would profit accordingly. 
However, this seems to be a question that must, of 
necessity, be left to the individuals, but in fair- 
ness to the woman who is bearing the burden at 
this time she should be allowed to decide this ques- 
tion. 

The Teeth 

There is an old saying " for every child a tooth," 
but this is not necessarily the truth. There seems to 
be an increased acidity to the secretions of the mouth 
during this period so, in order to preserve the teeth, 
the mouth should be rinsed several times a day with 
a mild alkaline solution, as a half a teaspoonful of 
baking soda to a glass of water. Milk of magnesia 
also is excellent for this purpose. If the teeth com- 
mence to decay they should not be neglected, for 
fear of more serious results. Many women are 
afraid to go to a dentist at this period and so neglect 
their teeth until they have a bad abscess or neuralgia. 
This should not be the case. The teeth should be 
given attention at the first appearance of any decay. 
The dentist can put in a temporary filling which 
68 



CARE OF THE PROSPECTIVE MOTHER 

will preserve the tooth and not involve any strain 
on the woman. The teeth should be well brushed 
at least twice a day, while the mouth wash must be 
used many times for the best results. 

Diet 

The question of diet is an important consideration. 
There is a popular superstition that the expectant 
mother needs an unusual amount of food, that she 
must eat for two. This is not the truth. Many 
births are rendered much more painful because of the 
effect of overeating during this period. The mother 
does not need more than her ordinary amount of 
food and this should be regulated to meet the vari- 
ous conditions. Another popular fallacy is that the 
prospective mother should not be denied anything 
that she craves because it might " mark " the child. 
This also is untrue, unless the woman has so little 
control over herself that she allows her mind con- 
tinually to dwell on the one thought. She should 
satisfy her cravings within reason, but she should 
not indulge in an excess of any food. The peculiar 
desires of prospective mothers are innumerable. 
They usually do not indicate any special need of her 
system but, if they are reasonable, they may be 
allowed. 

69 



YOUR BABY 

The diet for the prospective mother should be 
nourishing but non-stimulating and should be con- 
sidered from two standpoints, — its effect upon the 
mother and its effect upon the child. The pain of 
labor is caused chiefly by the necessity of the on- 
coming head forcing its way through the birth canal, 
which it must dilate. Anything that would tend to 
make the head large or the birth canal more rigid 
naturally would tend to make childbirth more pain- 
ful. 

A number of years ago a pamphlet was published 
in London giving the results of living on fruits dur- 
ing the period before the birth of the baby. The 
author adopted the idea that all foods that con- 
tributed to the foundation of bony matter served 
to prolong labor and endangered the life of both 
mother and babe. Be that as it may, the easiest 
birth I ever witnessed was with a woman who told 
me she lived the last two months almost entirely on 
apples. In a number of instances I have observed 
that women who ate little meat and much fruit the 
last two or three months of pregnancy had very 
easy labors. Starchy and fat-forming foods con- 
tribute to make the muscles of the mother less 
pliable. A vegetarian and salt free diet has been 
highly recommended as ideal for the prospective 
70 



CARE OF THE PROSPECTIVE MOTHER 

mother. Fruits will keep the bowels in good condi- 
tion, so there will be no need of laxatives, while 
fruits also have a beneficial effect upon the kidneys. 
Poultry, fish or eggs, vegetables, such grains as rice, 
tapioca and sago, tea or milk in moderation, and 
nutritive broths may be given. 

The Bowels 

Many expectant mothers suffer more or less from 
constipation during this period. This is due chiefly 
to the pressure of the enlarging uterus upon the 
intestines. It is liable to become more marked dur- 
ing the latter months. However, it is very impor- 
tant that the bowels should move freely at least once 
a day during the entire period. Whenever possible 
this should be accomplished by the use of laxative 
foods rather than by any of the usual methods. 
Many of the common laxative pills contain drugs 
which would be harmful. The expectant mother 
never should take any drugs except on the advice of 
her physician as some of the remedies that would be 
beneficial at other periods of life are dangerous at 
this period. 

Among the laxative foods that may be eaten 
freely during this period are fresh fruits, such as 
apples, apricots, pears, peaches, oranges, grapes, 
71 



YOUR BABY 

grape fruit, figs and pineapples. One or another of 
these are available at almost every season of the year. 
Cooked fruits, such as prunes, also are beneficial. 
Coarse breads and cookies, as those made from gra- 
ham, bran or oatmeal, stimulate the intestines and in- 
crease their activity. If molasses is used instead 
of sugar for sweetening the bread or cookies they 
will have a more laxative effect. Fresh vegetables, 
especially if eaten with an olive oil dressing, have 
a laxative effect. In many cases it is necessary to 
avoid the use of certain vegetables, as cabbage and 
baked beans, that are hard to digest. The juice of 
half a lemon in a cup of water before breakfast is 
agreeable and beneficial to many. 

If these simple measures do not regulate the 
bowels the physician should be consulted. An 
enema is beneficial as an occasional measure but 
should not be used regularly as its tendency is to 
paralyze the muscles of the rectum so that they 
become incapable of doing their work unaided. 

Sewing for the Baby 

Most mothers look forward with pleasure to pre- 
paring the clothing for the expected baby. They 
even may spend hours stitching at the machine and 
more hours sewing on lace. This is all right if the 
72 



CARE OF THE PROSPECTIVE MOTHER 

mother does not spend all her leisure in this occupa- 
tion. However, some mothers neglect the necessary 
out-of-door exercise in order to have more time to 
spend in preparation of dainty garments. In this 
case the entire preparations are for the bodily cov- 
erings of the child while at the same time the mother 
is neglecting to prepare to give him health and a 
good disposition. The latter only come as the result 
of proper attention to the hygiene of living, — plenty 
of sleep, out-of-door exercise, proper diet and free- 
dom from care and worry. 

Mental Condition 

During the period before the birth of her child, 
many a woman is inclined to be despondent and ir- 
ritable. She should try to overcome this condition 
for the sake of both her child and herself. If there 
is a special cause for the cross feeling, as overwork, 
this should be removed. It is better to neglect the 
household duties, to revert entirely to the simple life, 
than to have the prospective mother over-burdened. 
If the mother is unhappy and overworked this has 
a disastrous effect upon the child, for it does not de- 
rive sufficient nourishment. 

A mother should school herself to be cheerful dur- 
ing this period. She should not read any horror 
73 



YOUR BABY 

stories or medical books or anything that will tend 
to morbid thoughts. If there is a blue day, she 
should read an entertaining story or go to see a jolly 
friend until the blueness has flown away. Despond- 
ency sometimes is caused by indigestion, therefore 
this should be taken into account and corrected. 

Late hours and excitement are not advisable for 
the prospective mother. She should not attend 
crowded gatherings nor appear on a crowded street- 
car. The more quiet and peaceful her life, the bet- 
ter will be the condition of her nervous system. 



74 



CHAPTER VI 

ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS OF PREGNANCY 

Nausea and Vomiting, usually called morning 
sickness because occurring upon rising, is common 
during pregnancy. It usually commences two or 
three weeks after the beginning of the period and 
may be the first symptom noticed. However, some 
women do not have this disagreeable symptom dur- 
ing the entire time. In the majority of cases it 
disappears after the first three months but with some 
it continues during the entire period. In such a 
case, it usually indicates some disorder that should 
be corrected. 

Sometimes a few simple things will relieve this 
disorder. Every day take some exercise in the open 
air. Sleep with the windows open at night. Eat 
only light, easily digested food. A light breakfast 
in bed half an hour before rising has been found 
to be beneficial in many cases. Even a glass of hot 
milk taken at this time may be sufficient. 

With some the nausea continues during the day 
75 



YOUR BABY 

and they find themselves unable to take sufficient 
food. An old-fashioned remedy for this condition 
is pop-corn. This may be eaten (without butter) 
at various times during the day and usually can be 
retained when other food cannot. Pop-corn tea also 
may be taken. A hot water bag or a mustard plaster 
to the abdomen sometimes relieves. 

If the vomiting is so severe that the woman is be- 
coming weakened a physician should be consulted 
without delay. In a great many cases, local treat- 
ment to correct a displacement of the womb or to 
relieve inflammation of the cervix may be indicated. 

Sleeplessness 

This is a symptom of disordered health and should 
not be neglected. A warm bath before retiring, fol- 
lowed by a gentle massage, especially along the spine 
will, by relaxing the nerves and muscles, produce 
good results in many cases. A hot bath, by drawing 
the blood away from the brain, often will be bene- 
ficial. A glass of hot milk or cocoa taken just be- 
fore retiring often will have the same effect. If the 
sleeplessness is the result of indigestion, a plain diet 
will relieve. Sleeping upon a hard bed or without 
a pillow sometimes produces the desired effect. 
Always have plenty of fresh air in the room. Keep 
76 



ACCIDENTS OF PREGNANCY 

the mind free from the cares of the day. If they 
will intrude, crowd them out by repeating some 
soothing sentence as " There is no reason why I 
should not sleep, therefore I shall sleep. My body 
is relaxed, my mind is at peace, sleep is coming. 
I am getting sleepy. I am about to sleep." Never 
take any sleeping powders except upon the advice of 
a physician. The majority contain morphine, ace- 
tanalid or some other harmful drug. 

Fainting 

Should fainting occur the physician should be sent 
for at once. In the meantime the patient should be 
laid with the head low, the clothing loosened and 
plenty of fresh air should be admitted. Water may 
be sprinkled upon the face or aromatic spirits of 
ammonia be held near the nose. 

Constipation 

A regular daily action of the bowels is necessary to 
health. Constipation often may be relieved by 
drinking a glass of cold water upon rising, at in- 
tervals during the day and upon retiring. Fruit at 
breakfast or figs taken after meals often will re- 
lieve a tendency to constipation. Regularity in go- 
ing to the toilet is one of the most important meas- 
77 



YOUR BABY 

ures in treating constipation. Laxatives or cathar- 
tics should not be taken except upon the advice of a 
physician, for some laxatives contain drugs which 
might cause contractions of the uterus and so bring 
on an abortion. 

The Kidneys 

It is of the greatest importance that these organs 
should perform their functions properly. Drinking 
plenty of water during the day will help to keep them 
in good condition. Upon any diminution in the 
amount of urine passed or any swelling of the feet 
and ankles a physician should be consulted as these 
may indicate a serious kidney lesion. By making 
an examination of a specimen of urine the physician 
will be able to tell the condition of the kidneys. 
When sending a specimen take a four ounce bottle, 
thoroughly cleanse it by boiling, fill it with some of 
the urjne first voided in the morning, cork tightly 
with a new cork and send at once. 

Swelling of the Legs and Feet 

Swelling of the legs and feet is very common dur- 
ing the latter months of pregnancy. Usually it is 
worse towards evening. There may or may not be 
other symptoms accompanying thi9 swelling. If 
78 



ACCIDENTS OF PREGNANCY 

there are no other symptoms, as headache or a feeling 
of depression, the condition probably is not serious. 
Quite frequently the swelling is accompanied by en- 
largement of the blood vessels (varicose veins). 
The swelling may be so great as to cause the patient 
considerable discomfort and still not be a serious 
condition. However, the swelling may indicate a 
serious disorder of the kidneys, so it is best in all 
cases to have the urine examined so as to be cer- 
tain of the condition of the kidneys. An expectant 
mother who is having this disorder should save a 
portion of the first urine that is passed in the morn- 
ing, put it in a clean bottle, which holds about four 
ounces, and send or take it to the physician who has 
charge of her case. The kidneys are so liable to be 
affected during this period and such serious results, 
as eclampsia (convulsions), may result if the con- 
dition is not remedied that it is not wise to take 
any risks even though the patient feels fairly well. 

In a great many cases the swelling and varicose 
condition are due to pressure of the enlarging uterus 
upon the blood vessels of the lower limbs so that 
the blood is unable to return to the heart. In such 
a case much can be done by a few simple measures. 

The patient should keep off her feet as much as 
possible and whenever she is sitting should elevate 
79 



YOUR BABY 

her feet and limbs. It is better if her feet are 
higher than her hips. Even at night it may be well 
to elevate the feet. Many women obtain relief from 
wearing an elastic abdominal binder, or even one of 
cotton cloth. By the use of such a binder the pelvic 
contents are lifted and the pressure on the blood ves- 
sels going to the limbs is relieved so that the blood 
may flow more freely. 

The clothing should be loose, especially that about 
the lower limbs. Tight stockings or round elastics 
should be avoided. It quite frequently is necessary 
for the expectant mother to wear shoes several sizes 
larger or wider than she ordinarily wears. These 
always should have a broad heel. 

Massage of the limbs with alcohol or some other 
astringent tonic is beneficial. The movement always 
should be towards the heart so as to help to empty 
the engorged blood vessels. 

Bathing with cold water sometimes gives relief. 
With this also the movements should be towards 
the heart. 

Irritability of the Bladder 

Disturbances of the function of the bladder often 
are present during this period. They are caused by 
pressure of the enlarging uterus upon the bladder. 
80 



ACCIDENTS OF PREGNANCY 

As a result, there is a frequent desire to urinate 
although the amount passed at each time is small. 
Although this disorder is annoying, yet it is not 
serious and usually passes away after a few weeks 
when the position of the uterus is changed. 

Sometimes the irritation may be relieved by 
changing the position of the body or by assuming 
the knee-chest position for a few minutes morning 
and night. To assume this position the patient 
kneels on the bed and then bends forward until 
the chest touches the bed. The thighs should be at 
right angles with the bed. This allows the pelvic 
and abdominal organs to drop towards the upper 
part of the body cavity and so relieves the pressure 
on the bladder. This position also may give relief in 
swelling of the limbs or in varicose condition. 

Frequent periods of rest in the recumbent position 
aid greatly in avoiding these disorders. If an ex- 
pectant mother would lie down for five minutes at 
the end of every hour she would be greatly bene- 
fited. These short, but frequent, resting periods are 
productive of more good than are one or two long 
periods of rest during the day. Whenever the ex- 
pectant mother is resting she should make it a rule 
to elevate her lower limbs. 



CHAPTER VII 
the period of labor 

What to Do When Labor Commences. As 
soon as labor pains begin, the physician should be 
notified. His services may not be required for sev- 
eral hours but if he knows that he is to be needed 
soon he will arrange his other work so as to be free 
when the time arrives. 

While awaiting his arrival, the mother should pre- 
pare herself by taking a cleansing bath and an enema. 
The enema is necessary in order to empty the lower 
bowel. If this is emptied thoroughly it will make 
the progress of labor easier, for if the rectum is full 
it presses on the vagina and gives less room for the 
descent of the child. A full bladder and a full rec- 
tum frequently retard labor considerably. From 
the beginning of labor pains the patient should not 
go to an out-of-door toilet because there is danger 
of a precipitate labor, that is, the baby may be born 
very quickly. Instances are not uncommon of 
babies being born in public toilets, on the street car 
and in other public places. These instances caution 
82 



THE PERIOD OF LABOR 

us that the expectant mother should not go far 
from home during the last couple of weeks before 
labor is expected. 

The patient may be dressed in her nightgown and 
white stockings. Over this she may wear a kimono 
until near time for labor to be terminated. The hair 
should be parted down the center and braided in two 
braids. This makes it convenient to be combed in 
bed during the next week or ten days. 

A kettle of water should be boiled and allowed to 
cool so as to provide cold sterile water. Another 
kettleful should be boiled and kept hot. 

The bed should be prepared by putting on first the 
under sheet, then the rubber sheet, which should be 
pinned at all four corners. Over this a folded sheet, 
called a draw sheet, should be placed. The latter 
may be changed easily at any time without disturb- 
ing the patient much. A second rubber sheet and 
a second draw sheet may be placed on top of the 
first ones and these can be removed when labor is 
terminated leaving a clean draw sheet in place. In 
the absence of a rubber sheet several thicknesses of 
newspaper may be used. 

Everything necessary for the baby's first bath, one 
suit of clothes, and the articles required for the 
mother should be placed in a convenient place. Be- 

83 



YOUR BABY 

sides these, there should be two hand basins, a nail 
brush and plenty of clean towels in the room. 

What to Take to the Hospital 

It is becoming customary for an expectant mother 
to go to a hospital instead of being confined at home. 
For several reasons this is a desirable course. 
Among others, it lessens the work of preparing for 
the event. Then, too, it does not disturb the family 
nor upset the household arrangements. But most 
important is the fact that in the hospital everything 
is convenient and ready for any emergency. 

The decision as to which hospital must be in- 
fluenced by the individual circumstances. Nearly 
every general hospital has special apartments for 
mothers and their babies. The care is similar in all. 
It is well to choose a hospital that is convenient to 
the physician's residence, if possible, so that he will 
be within reach should any emergency arise. The 
price of the room varies with different hospitals, 
therefore this matter must be taken into considera- 
tion in many cases. 

After the decision as to the hospital comes the 
problem of what to take. This varies with the hos- 
pital. It would be wise for the expectant mother 
to call at the hospital and make her arrangements 
84 



THE PERIOD OF LABOR 

several weeks before she expects to enter as a patient. 
At this time she can see the rooms and have an 
understanding as to the rate. Also she can talk 
with the superintendent or head nurse, who will give 
her a list of the things she should bring with her. 
Hospitals vary so much in their rules that no list 
could be given that would suit all cases. 

Some hospitals have their own gowns and require 
all patients to wear the hospital gowns, while others 
keep only a few gowns for emergency and operative 
work and desire the patient to bring her own gowns. 
In the latter case, she should have at least two gowns 
at a time. This allows a change and the soiled one 
can be taken home to be laundered and a fresh one 
brought in its place. Usually the patient's family 
are expected to attend to the laundering of the 
gowns, as they are liable to become mixed if sent 
with the hospital laundry. 

Only a few baby clothes should be taken, for the 
reason that they sometimes are lost or mixed with 
others. Three shirts, three bands, three pinning 
blankets, three kimonos, one dozen diapers and a 
soft blanket are sufficient if some member of the 
family will bring a fresh suit each day to replace the 
soiled ones. 

Besides the clothes, the mother will need to take 
85 



YOUR BABY 

her own toilet articles, especially a comb, brash and 
tooth brush. Aside from these, other things are not 
necessary and should not be carried along. It is not 
desirable for the patient to take any jewelry or other 
valuables with her as the hospital cannot be respon- 
sible for their loss unless they are left in the office 
in the care of the superintendent or nurse in charge. 

Childbed Fever 

In former times there were many deaths following 
confinement from so-called childbed fever. That 
this was due to carelessness never was suspected, but 
recent discoveries of the germ theories of disease 
have proven that this fever is due to disease germs 
which enter the womb during or following labor. 
These germs might be upon dirty carpets, on the 
floors or walls of a room, in soiled bed clothing, in 
utensils and vessels that are not surgically clean, 
in unboiled water or on the hands of the attendants. 

Recent progress has proven that if the doctor and 
attending nurse are surgically clean there is little 
danger of childbed fever. This is one great reason 
for not employing an ignorant midwife who does not 
understand surgical cleanliness, and why only the 
best care obtainable should be given a woman during 
confinement. Good care is as necessary at this time 
86 






THE PERIOD OF LABOR 

as it is in a surgical operation, and the modern 
physicians insist that the lying-in room should be as 
clean as the operating room of a hospital. Quite 
frequently it is impossible to take all the necessary 
precautions at the home and therefore it is becoming- 
more and more common to go to the hospital. 

However, if one is to remain at home, the sick 
room should be given a thorough cleansing before 
confinement. Everything to be used about the bed 
should be strictly clean. Formerly it was a custom 
to use an old quilt to protect the bed and quite fre- 
quently this was the real cause of childbed fever, 
for the quilt contained disease germs. Now, in 
place of a quilt we use a rubber sheet and have all 
the other bed clothing freshly washed or sterile. 

The nurse should wear a cotton gown that can be 
washed, as woolen skirts often carry disease germs. 
All cloths that are to be used about the patient 
should be freshly washed and ironed and then baked 
in the oven or steamed for two hours. It is better 
to take extra precautions than to run any risk of in- 
fection. 

After Care of the Patient 

The period after confinement is very important 
for the young mother, for upon her care during 

87 



YOUR BABY 

this period depends to a great extent the condition 
of her future health. Under the present condition 
of living it seems best for her to remain in bed 
for a period of ten days after the birth of her baby. 
This allows time for the parts to assume nearly their 
normal positions before there is any strain put upon 
them. If the mother gets up before the end of this 
period the womb is liable to become displaced be- 
cause of its weight and because the muscles and liga- 
ments, which have been on a strain for several 
months, require time to resume their normal length 
and elasticity. 

As soon as labor is terminated, the mother should 
be made comfortable. Soiled linen should be re- 
placed by clean, the binder and pad applied and the 
mother left in a comfortable position. It is probable 
that she will drop to sleep and rest for several hours. 

It is not necessary for the mother to lie in one 
position, as on her back, unless she should flow ex- 
cessively. The wide binder pinned very snugly 
around the abdomen will give a feeling of comfort 
and also help to support the overstretched muscles 
and aid them in resuming their normal condition. 
In pinning this binder one should pin from below 
upward. 

The flow will be rather profuse for two or three 



THE PERIOD OF LABOR 

days, then gradually decrease and will cease before 
the end of the ten days. Any excessive flow or 
failure of cessation should be reported to the physi- 
cian as it may indicate that shreds or clots have re- 
mained in the womb and must be removed. 

The patient should be given an external douche 
every morning and after each urination. A pitcher 
is filled with warm sterile water (water that has 
been boiled) to which has been added a few drops 
of lysol or other antiseptic. A bed pan is placed un- 
der the patient and this solution poured over the 
external parts. A vaginal douche should not be 
given except by direction from the attending physi- 
cian. 

The bowels should be kept free during this period. 
The patient should not be allowed to sit up, but 
should use a bed pan. On account of her reclining 
position it frequently is necessary to give an enema 
to start the bowels. It is customary to give one dose 
of castor oil the day after confinement. 

If the patient has not urinated by the end of 
twenty- four hours it may be necessary to have her 
catheterized. Before this is done, however, it is well 
to try the effect of an external douche which may 
relax the parts so that the urine will flow naturally. 
Sometimes a hot drink will have the same effect. 
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YOUR BABY 

In other cases the sound of running water brings 
the desired results. 

As soon as she wishes after labor, the patient may 
be given a drink of hot tea or milk. 

The diet for the first twenty-four hours should 
be liquid or semi-solid, after that it should be light 
with little or no meat, and no acid vegetables or 
fruit. Toast, poached eggs, custards, broths and 
milk are excellent. By the time the mother is able 
to be around she may resume her normal diet except 
to watch that she eats nothing that has a bad effect 
upon the milk. 

The marital relations should not be resumed for at 
least a month after confinement, as they cause a more 
or less congestion of the parts which might result 
in inflammation at this time. 



90 



CHAPTER VIII 

THE YOUNG MOTHER 

After the Baby Comes the mother should take 
especial care of her health, not only for her own 
sake but for the sake of her baby. A mother who 
is not well, or who is overworked cannot nourish 
her baby properly. If she is half sick she cannot 
expect that her milk will be nourishing. It is im- 
portant for the young mother to remain in bed for 
the first ten days after the birth of her baby; for it 
takes that long for the muscles to regain enough 
elasticity to be able to hold the womb in position. 
However, the womb does not entirely regain its 
natural size for about three months, so the mother 
should be especially careful during this period. If 
she returns to her work too early or does much heavy 
lifting, the womb is liable to become inflamed and 
fall out of place. On account of its increased size 
it is heavier than normal during this period and 
much easier displaced, not only because of the extra 
weight but because the muscles that hold it in place 
have not entirely regained their natural elasticity 
9i 



YOUR BABY 

after being on a stretch before the baby came. The 
young mother should lie down and rest for a few 
minutes several times a day. It is a good plan for 
her to take the knee-chest position for a few mo- 
ments every night. To do this, she kneels on the 
bed and bends forward until the chest touches the 
bed, the thighs being at right angles with the bed. 
This position allows the womb to drop back to its 
natural position if it has become displaced during the 
day. 

If the parts have become torn during labor they 
should be repaired early, for every unrepaired tear 
weakens the supports to the womb and predisposes 
to inflammation and displacements. 

Exercise for the Mother 

Too many young mothers become so absorbed in 
the care of their babies that they neglect the simple 
things so essential to their own health and happi- 
ness. 

Fresh air and exercise are indispensable to the 
health of every woman. Both are classed with the 
luxuries in many a mother's life, whereas they should 
be looked upon as necessities. 

Every mother should make it a point to spend at 
least half an hour a day in the open air and another 
92 



THE YOUNG MOTHER 

half hour doing something for her own pleasure. 
If her work is a drudgery she cannot accomplish as 
much in a given time as she could if it were not so. 
A half hour's rest or change will give a woman 
added energy so that she can attack her mountain of 
housework with increased zeal. 

Exercise and fresh air are essential for the health 
of the baby also. A mother, who is tired out and 
suffering from oxygen starvation, cannot give her 
child the same care that she could if she were in a fit 
condition. Any one who is worn out with sleepless 
nights cannot expect her brain to perform the same 
work that it would if it had been rested. 

The mother's work is never done, and it seems as 
though there were no time for exercise or pleasure. 
She cannot find a stopping place where she can leave 
her work for a few minutes. This is one of the 
cases where one must " make time." Drop the 
work, if necessary in the midst of the ironing. It 
is much better that a family should wear a few 
un-ironed clothes than that the mother should be- 
come worn out, nervous and cross from overwork. 
As a child grows older it remembers and appreciates 
the happy moments spent with mother playing some 
simple game much more than it appreciates ruffles 
and embroidery correctly starched and ironed. The 
93 



YOUR BABY 

mother who holds her children's love and confidence 
is not the one who makes a drudge of herself that 
her children may appear in clothes better than their 
neighbors, but it is the one who finds time to go 
for a half hour's walk in the woods with the chil- 
dren, talking with them about the wonders of na- 
ture. It is the one who finds time for a game of 
blind man's buff. Begin while the baby is young 
by making it a rule to spend an hour a day playing 
with the child, out of doors if the weather permits. 
It is in these hours of unrestrained freedom that 
the mother learns her child's nature, its longings 
and aspirations. The mother who is a chum to her 
children, who enters into their play and interests, 
not only keeps herself young but is the one best be- 
loved by the children. The mother needs to keep 
her mind active by reading books in order to be able 
to interest her children and hold their respect. 

Remember that the mother's condition, both of 
mind and body, will affect her child. Worry, an- 
ger, illness or overwork on the mother's part are 
as harmful as improper food or lack of cleanliness. 

The Mother's Rest 

Recently I talked with a young mother who was 
in a very nervous state, chiefly from lack of rest. 
94 



THE YOUNG MOTHER 

Her baby, who was about three weeks old, was an 
exceptionally healthy child yet she had allowed him 
to be a constant care. Inquiring about her habits I 
found she had permitted the baby to nurse nearly 
all night. As a result, she had very little sleep and 
the baby's stomach was becoming upset. Not only 
was the frequent nursing harmful for the baby but 
the milk, which is affected easily by the mother's 
condition, was not agreeing with him. The mother 
was young and inexperienced. She had no mother 
to advise her and so had been taking the advice of 
well meaning neighbors, who, although with the 
kindest intentions, had been giving her the wrong 
advice. As a result, she had been dosing her baby 
with various teas and syrups. Naturally, no good 
results were obtained as the cause of the trouble had 
not been removed and the baby was growing more 
colicky and the mother more nervous and worn out. 
The mother was advised to stop all teas and to 
feed the baby every three hours by the clock, except 
that between ten at night and six in the morning, it 
should have only one feeding. If the baby seemed 
to want to be fed between regular times, she was to 
give a little warm water but nothing else. She 
followed this regular routine with the result that 
within a few days the baby awakened at regular 
95 



YOUR BABY 

hours to be fed and had forgotten all about its colic. 
The mother had her night's rest without being dis- 
turbed every few minutes and had become rested 
and had lost her nervousness. 

It does not pay for the mother to get too tired 
and worn out from lack of rest, for if she does the 
milk is affected, the baby's stomach is upset and it 
becomes cross and fretful and requires twice as 
much care as it would if the mother were in a rested 
state. If every mother would make it a point to 
feed her baby regularly by the clock, she would find 
she had plenty of time for other work and it would 
be done at regular times. 

It is a good plan for the mother to establish the 
habit of lying down on the bed with the baby when 
she is feeding it. This gives her the necessary rest, 
for a mother with a young baby needs considerable 
rest in order to regain her strength. Between meals, 
the baby should require very little attention and 
certainly should not be held during this time. 

If the mother does not have regular hours for 
feeding the baby but feeds it only when it cries, she 
may have to stop in the midst of some important 
work in order to feed and soothe it for fifteen or 
twenty minutes. She never will be able to plan 
her work, for she does not know what time, if any, 
96 






THE YOUNG MOTHER 

she will be free from holding the baby. The more 
a baby is held the more it wants to be and it is not 
slow in making its wants known. 

Nursing the Baby 

It is very rare that a mother cannot nurse her 
baby if she is given the proper care both before and 
after the arrival of the baby. A great many babies 
really have been killed by well-meaning but ignorant 
old women of the " Sairy Gamp " type who think 
they can improve upon Nature and who by their 
advice cause the young mother to believe that her 
milk is not good for the baby, but that some other 
prepared food is much superior. Mother's milk is 
infinitely superior to any other kind of food and the 
majority of women can nurse their babies if they 
have not been discouraged by interfering friends 
and if they are well nourished. 

One great item to be considered in the nursing of 
the baby is the mother's mental condition. Any- 
thing that unfavorably affects either her mental or 
physical condition, as her nutrition, her digestion or 
her bowel movements, injuriously affects her milk 
and so hurts the baby. 

The mother who would have good milk for her 
baby must avoid unnecessary worry, excitement, fa- 
97 



YOUR BABY 

tigue or exertion. It is not a good plan for her to 
go to many public places where she becomes weary 
or excited. The more quiet and peaceful her life 
can be, the better will the milk be. 

The question of diet is one that bothers many a 
young mother. As a general rule the nursing 
mother can eat anything that agrees with her except 
those foods that are highly spiced, indigestible or 
very acid. The mother must remember that any- 
thing which she eats is liable to affect the milk, and 
the condition of the baby's bowels and digestion is 
the best guide to her own diet. If the baby's bowels 
are too loose or the baby has gas or colic the mother 
should consider what her diet has been for the last 
two days and usually she will be able to find some 
article of diet that will account for the baby's con- 
dition. One mother brought her baby to me be- 
cause it was having colic and crying continually. 
The mother insisted that she had not eaten anything 
that could have affected the baby. She especially 
said that she had not eaten fruit. However, she 
was asked to give a list of everything she had eaten 
for three days and then I found that she had eaten 
a great deal of watermelon and green corn. Nat- 
urally it was not hard to decide what was the cause 
98 



THE YOUNG MOTHER 

of the baby's trouble. Ripe tomatoes also should 
be avoided by the nursing mother. 

The mother should drink sparingly of tea and 
coffee and avoid all beer and alcoholic stimulants. 
Remember that a taste for alcoholic drinks may be 
formed by the baby if the mother indulges in some 
of these mild alcoholic tonics while nursing the 
baby. The baby's system becomes accustomed to 
the stimulation and craves it in later life. 

The nursing mother should exercise moderately 
in the open air and sleep with the windows open at 
all seasons of the year. Fresh air is one of the best 
tonics for any one and is needed especially by the 
young mother. The bowels should be kept free. 
If the mother is constipated this will affect the milk 
and the baby will be constipated. The milk can be 
made more laxative by the addition of fats to the 
diet of the mother. 

Nursing the baby regularly and not too often 
also tends to increase the amount of milk. If the 
baby is allowed to nurse at frequent and irregular 
times the breasts are kept drained constantly and the 
baby never has enough to satisfy him. The baby 
never should be nursed simply because he cries and 
certainly should not be allowed to tug at the breast 
99 



YOUR BABY 

constantly at night. Such a procedure keeps the 
mother awake and drains all her vitality. If the 
mother does not have sufficient rest it is impossible 
for her to have enough milk for the baby. 

The baby never should be weaned on the advice 
of neighbors. If the mother does not think she has 
sufficient milk for the baby she should consult her 
physician at once and have this corrected. In a 
great many cases a baby's life has been lost simply 
because the young but ignorant mother changed the 
food a number of times on the advice of different 
so-called friends. The best friend to the young 
mother is the one who does not try to advise her in 
regard to her baby's diet. This should be left to the 
physician who understands such matters. The best 
guide as to the milk agreeing with the baby is the 
steady (even if slow) increase in weight. 

To Increase the Milk 

Every true mother desires to nurse her baby. 
By doing this she gives it a better start in life, and 
lessens the danger of intestinal troubles which cause 
the death of nearly half the babies before they are a 
year old. In some cases the mother does not seem 
to have a sufficient quantity of milk. In a great 
many cases this may be overcome by care before the 
roo 



THE YOUNG MOTHER 

birth of the baby and by careful dieting afterwards. 
For the last three months before the expected arrival 
of the baby, the breasts may be massaged daily with 
warm olive oil. This should be done with a circular 
movement. The breasts never should be pinched as 
this is liable to cause inflammation. 

If the nipples are retracted they should be pulled 
out gently once or twice a day for the last six weeks 
before labor. Bathing them with alcohol will tend 
to harden them, and this followed by an oil massage 
will place them in a good condition so that they will 
not be so liable to become sore and cracked when 
the baby commences to nurse. If the nipples are 
much retracted it is well to apply a breast pump once 
or twice a day during this period. This also tends 
to increase the supply of milk secreted. 

After the arrival of the baby and for a few days 
before its expected arrival the mother should regu- 
late her diet so as to increase the amount of liquid. 
She should drink plenty of milk, cocoa, malted milk 
and other liquids. Broths and soups are excellent. 
The mother should not limit the taking of this fluid 
to the regular meal times but should make it a rule 
to drink a cupful every two hours during the day 
and one cupful at night when she awakens for the 
night feeding. An old recipe is to boil two table- 

IOI 



YOUR BABY 

spoonfuls of yellow corn meal with one quart of 
water for half an hour. Add salt and flavor and 
drink an entire quart each day. 

Bone Forming Diet 

Frequently physicians advise nursing mothers to 
eat bone forming foods, but this direction is not of 
much value unless the mother has been instructed as 
to what are the bone forming foods. Bones are 
formed by the deposit of mineral salts in cartilage or 
gristle. If one examines the end of the breast bone 
of a young chicken she will find that it is not bone 
but cartilage or gristle. As the chicken grows older, 
mineral salts are deposited in this cartilage and 
gradually it becomes true bone. The same process 
takes place in the body of a child. When the baby 
is born many of its bones are not true bones but 
really are cartilage, which, although tough, is bent 
easily. Gradually mineral matter is deposited in the 
cartilage and the bones become harder and less flexi- 
ble. It is on account of the flexibility of its bones 
that a baby should not be allowed to bear its weight 
on its feet when very young, for the bones of the 
legs are soft and easily bent out of place. 

At the time the mineral matter is being deposited 
in the bones it also is being deposited to make teeth. 



THE YOUNG MOTHER 

The first teeth really commence to form several 
weeks before the birth of the baby, although they 
do not become fully developed until some time after. 
If the baby does not obtain sufficient mineral salts 
in its food, its legs are liable to become bowed when 
it commences to walk. Other bones, also, are liable 
to be bent out of shape. Then, too, the teeth are 
not well formed and are liable to be soft so that 
they decay early. Therefore it is necessary for the 
young baby to obtain mineral matter in its food. 
When the baby is breast fed the mother must so 
regulate her diet as to give this necessary mineral. 
Common salt is one of the most important mineral 
ingredients of food. Some vegetables are natu- 
rally rich in this mineral while others, as potatoes, 
are lacking and require it to be added in order to 
make them palatable. Among the foods rich in salt 
may be mentioned corn, peas, Lima beans, stewed 
fruits, spinach, onions, peaches, pears, celery, to- 
matoes, Brussels sprouts, apples and cranberries. 
However, the nursing mother must be careful about 
eating some of the more acid of these, as tomatoes, 
because they may cause the baby to have colic. 

The bottle fed baby has mineral added to its food 
in the form of lime water. In some instances it is 
necessary to feed the baby upon condensed milk. 
103 



YOUR BABY 

It has been found that these babies, although they 
thrive well, lack bone salts. They do not sit alone 
or walk as early as do breast fed babies. Their 
teeth are liable to be poorer. Much of this can be 
overcome by adding small quantities of lime water 
to each feeding. Sometimes a very little salt is 
added to the diet of the bottle fed baby for this 
same reason. 

The nursing mother or the expectant mother 
often complains that her teeth are decaying easily 
or that they do not seem as strong as pre- 
viously. Much of this trouble can be avoided by 
the use of soda, lime water or magnesia in the 
mouth wash. Milk of magnesia makes a pleasant 
mouth wash for the mother. This also is one of 
the best laxatives for the nursing mother to take if 
one is needed. 



104 



PART II — THE BABY 



Anything that touches the life of children, that deals 
with the beginning of life, cannot help being hopeful. 
It is a joy to do something that shall not only touch 
the present but shall reach forward to the future. 

Phillips Brooks. 



PART II — THE BABY 
CHAPTER IX 

FIRST CARE OF THE BABY 

To the inexperienced mother the care of a 
young baby appears to be such a vague and unin- 
telligible affair that it seems almost impossible that 
she ever would become proficient in the art. The 
bathing, the feeding, even the dressing become, in 
prospect, tasks of Herculean size. Yet there are a 
few simple rules which if followed solve the major- 
ity of the problems. 

The First Thing to Be Done 

As soon as a baby is born, the eyes and mouth 
should be wiped carefully with pieces of gauze or 
soft cloth that has been soaked in a solution of boric 
acid. 

To Prevent Blindness 

The cleansing of the eyes is especially important, 
for it is estimated that about thirty per-cent of the 
107 



YOUR BABY 

blindness in the world has been caused by neglect of 
the eyes of the new born babe. In every institu- 
tion for the blind there are many inmates who are 
regarded as having been " born blind." In almost 
every instance the eyes were perfect at birth but, 
during the passage of the head through the birth 
canal, some disease germs which had been lying in 
ambush entered the eyes of the babe and, as they 
were not routed at once, began their ruinous work 
of destroying the eyesight. The most disastrous 
germs are those of one of the so-called " social 
diseases," which are so very powerful and work so 
quickly that the sight can be destroyed entirely in a 
few days, and there is no hope of it being re- 
stored. 

Since scientific men have discovered the cause of 
ophthalmia neonatorium, or birth infection of the 
eyes, every reputable physician takes precautions to 
avoid an opportunity for these germs to even com- 
mence their calamitous work. As soon as a baby 
is born the modern physician washes its eyes thor- 
oughly with a solution of boric acid. In addition 
to this some physicians put a drop of a two per-cent 
solution of silver nitrate into each eye. By these 
precautions all germs that possibly may have en- 
tered the eyes are either washed out or destroyed 
1 08 



FIRST CARE OF THE BABY 

without any danger to the eyes. The eyesight is so 
valuable that we would consider any one very negli- 
gent who would overlook this simple precaution. 
In some states, this negligence is regarded as a 
crime and treated accordingly. 

These destroying germs may enter the eyes at 
other periods of life than at birth, for they are so 
widely distributed that they may be encountered al- 
most anywhere. They may be carried from one 
person to another by the use of a common towel, 
wash-cloth or other article. It is on this account 
that public towels are being banished from the most 
progressive and enlightened states. 

In order to avoid any possibility of infection after 
birth the baby's eyes should be cleansed with a solu- 
tion of boric acid at least once a day. Small pieces 
of gauze should be used and then burned. The 
same piece never should be used for both eyes as 
disease germs from one eye might be carried to the 
other. Should any symptoms of inflammation, 
such as redness or a discharge, appear, this fact 
should be reported to the physician at once so that 
he may direct the proper treatment. It is not safe 
to allow any " sore eyes " to be neglected, for even 
a day's delay may mean permanent blindness in 
some cases. 

109 



YOUR BABY 

If by any accident or neglect the baby's eyes have 
been infected at birth, the fact will be manifested 
in a few days by a redness and puffiness of the 
upper eyelid, together with a discharge of pus. If 
heroic measures are taken at once, the eyes may yet 
be saved. One important part of the treatment is 
the cleansing of the eyes thoroughly every hour of 
the day and night. This requires constant attention 
and it is better for the baby to be under the care of a 
trained nurse either at home or in a hospital. 

Babies' eyes are liable to become a little " sore " 
at times. At the first sign of any inflammation the 
eyes should be bathed with the boric acid solution 
about every hour. It is a good plan to use a medi- 
cine dropper and put one or two drops of the solu- 
tion into each eye every one or two hours. This 
will cleanse them more thoroughly than can be done 
with a cloth. 

Sometimes when a baby awakens in the morning 
its eyes will be found glued together with dis- 
charges caused by a cold. In such a case, the 
mother should lay a cloth wet with a warm solution 
of boric acid over the eyes until the discharge is 
softened. Then it may be bathed away carefully. 
Do not use any force or the eye might be injured 
or the eyelashes torn out. The eyes should be 
no 



FIRST CARE OF THE BABY 

bathed several times a day as long as there is any 
discharge. 

If the eyes become much inflamed at any time, or 
if a slight inflammation does not yield to treatment 
readily, a physician should be consulted without loss 
of time, for the baby's eyes are too precious to be 
neglected. Think what it would mean for the child 
to have to go through life blind as a result of its 
mother's neglect! 

Care of the Mouth 

The cleansing of the mouth at birth is important, 
for there may be an accumulation of mucus in the 
mouth which will be drawn down into the lungs 
when the baby breathes and so cause pneumonia. 
In many cases it is necessary and desirable to hold 
the baby's head downward while a few quick pats 
are given on the back. This effectually dislodges 
any mucus that may have accumulated in the 
throat. If the baby does not breathe well when 
the eyes and mouth have been cleansed, it should be 
held face downward supported by one hand of the 
nurse while the back is patted quickly with the other. 
If it still does not breathe, a little cold water should 
be sprinkled on it. In some cases it is necessary 
to place the baby in a warm bath while at the same 
in 



YOUR BABY 

time its face is sprinkled with cold water. In still 
other cases it is necessary to perform artificial res- 
piration for a time. Strict attention should be 
given to the baby until it is breathing regularly. In 
normal cases it is best to be certain that the baby 
is breathing well before severing the cord, but if 
the baby requires much attention, the cord must be 
tied first. 

The Cord 

When the pulsation in the cord has ceased, it 
should be tied in two places about an inch and a half 
apart. The first ligature should be about an inch 
and a half from the baby's body. The cord is cut 
between the two ligatures. The tying should be 
done carefully so that the baby may not bleed to 
death. A piece of narrow tape that has been boiled 
is better than a round cord. The severed end of 
the cord should be wiped with a cloth wet in alco- 
hol, dusted with boric powder and covered with a 
piece of sterile gauze. In the absence of regular 
sterile gauze, a piece of clean white cloth heated to 
scorching may be used. It is very important to keep 
the cord dry so that it will drop off early. Vase- 
line or oil never should be applied to the cord. 
112 



FIRST CARE OF THE BABY 

When the cord remains constantly moist an applica- 
tion of alcohol will help to improve the condition, 
and no other care is necessary. The cord should 
come off about the fifth day. Then the navel should 
be cleansed daily and dusted with boric powder. 

After the cord has been severed, the baby should 
be wrapped in a warm blanket and laid on its right 
side until the nurse has time to give the bath. Be- 
fore birth there is an opening between the two sides 
of the heart which should close after birth. If this 
opening, or valve, does not close, a " blue baby " will 
result. Such a child is weak and seldom lives very 
long. The closure of the valve is assisted by having 
the baby lie on its right side. 

The First Bath 

The first bath of the modern baby usually is an 
oil rub or cleansing. Olive oil or fresh lard is 
warmed slightly, then rubbed over the entire body. 
When this is removed by wiping with a soft cloth it 
will leave the skin clean and free from the white 
cheesy material so frequently found on the body of 
a new born babe. This white cheesy substance is 
called vernix caseosa and covers the entire body 
during the seventh and eighth months of fcetal life. 
113 



YOUR BABY 

It usually disappears during the last month so that 
by the time the baby is born only occasional parti- 
cles are seen. These sometimes are difficult to re- 
move with soap and water, but are removed readily 
with the olive oil. In giving the first bath especial 
care should be given to all creases, the axilla, the 
groin, and the genitals. The latter should be ex- 
amined carefully at this time to see that there is 
no imperfection which would prevent their natural 
use. Babies have been born without any external 
opening to the rectum. 

For the first few days of its life the baby should 
be oiled every morning. The eyes and mouth 
should be cleaned thoroughly with boric acid solu- 
tion. Every time the diaper is changed, the but- 
tocks should be sponged with warm water, or water 
and a little pure soap. The parts should be dried 
well and powdered with a good talcum powder. All 
the little creases on the neck and under the arms 
should be well powdered after the bath. When the 
baby is undressed at night a gentle rubbing followed 
by powder will rest the little muscles. 

By the time the baby is a week or ten days old, 
it may be given a tub bath every morning unless the 
baby is poorly nourished. In such a case the oil bath 
had better be continued for a time. 
114 



FIRST CARE OF THE BABY 

Dressing the Baby 

An abdominal band made of soft, white flannel 
about eight inches wide and eighteen inches long is 
then fastened snugly around the baby's abdomen to 
hold the dressing in place on the cord and to keep 
the abdomen warm. This band also helps prevent 
rupture before the muscles surrounding the navel 
have grown together. In preparing the baby's out- 
fit, a half yard of flannel cut in strips lengthwise 
makes three or four of these bands. The bands 
should not be hemmed as the hem would be liable 
to cause a crease on the tender skin. The bands 
may be notched on the edges. 

A medium weight wool shirt, or cotton and wool, 
should be worn by the new baby no matter what the 
weather. In buying the first shirts three will be 
sufficient as they are outgrown so quickly. The 
second size is better than the very smallest for the 
same reason. 

About two dozen diapers are needed in a baby's 
outfit. These should be made of some soft ab- 
sorbent material, as bird's-eye linen or canton flan- 
nel. They should be about two feet square and 
hemmed on the raw edges. 

At least three pinning blankets of soft white flan- 
nel, made with a four-inch band and open all the 
"5 



. YOUR BABY 

way down the front, will be needed. It is not well 
to burden the new baby with too many clothes, 
therefore besides those mentioned it is customary 
to add only a kimono of white outing flannel. 
Three of these will be necessary. A little later, an 
extra petticoat and a white slip instead of the ki- 
mono may be used, but at first it is well not to have 
any unnecessary clothes or any that require much 
handling of the baby. 

When dressed, the baby should be wrapped in a 
warm blanket with a light covering over its head 
and laid in a warm place on its right side. It 
probably will go to sleep and not awaken for several 
hours. After the bath the baby may be given one 
or two teaspoonsful of warm water which will help 
cleanse the throat and also will fill the tiny stomach. 
Sugar should not be added to the water as it is liable 
to ferment and cause colic. Aside from the water, 
no diet should be given the baby except the mother's 
milk. The various teas recommended by the fond 
neighbors are unnecessary and frequently prove 
harmful. 

A new baby usually is deluged with presents by 

the adoring relatives and friends. Among these are 

many that are useful while others are useless. One 

of the most appreciated but least seldom provided is 

116 



FIRST CARE OF THE BABY 

a small-sized hot water-bottle. One young mother 
said recently that this was the most used of all her 
baby's gifts. In order to keep the baby good na- 
tured and to avoid colic, its feet must be kept warm 
at all times. This makes a hot water bag almost a 
necessity. Many cross and colicky babies would be 
reformed if provided with a hot water-bottle for 
their feet. 

The weaker the baby the more it becomes impor- 
tant to prevent heat loss. To keep the baby thor- 
oughly warm, to prevent chilling at any time, and 
to keep the supply of air pure are important points to 
be watched. 

When urination is delayed, try a warm sitz bath, 
and give the baby plenty of warm water to drink. 

When the baby has difficulty in nursing, the appli- 
cation of a hot fomentation to the breast over the 
nipple, before each nursing, will help to lessen the 
trouble by bringing the milk to the surface. A few 
drops of warm water on the nipple will cause the 
baby to take hold more quickly. The baby must not 
be given a " soother " or nipple before it has learned 
to suckle the breast, as this may cause it to refuse 
to nurse. 

A great deal can be learned of the child's condi- 
tion by carefully observing the stools. The normal 
117 



YOUR BABY 

stool in the new born is dark green for two - or three 
days, gradually becoming brown. The change from 
brown to yellow is gradual and by the end of the 
first week the stool should be golden yellow. When 
a baby is not getting sufficient food the color of the 
stools will remain brownish rather than yellow. 

Registering the Baby's Birth 

The importance of registering the birth of a baby 
should be more widely realized. These records are 
essential in settling questions of heredity, legitimacy, 
the age of consent, the right to work and the right 
to vote, property rights and other rights. In many 
localities the physicians send the record to the proper 
authorities. However, parents always should see 
that this has been attended to properly. 



118 



CHAPTER X 

WEIGHT, GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT 

The Weight of the Baby. The average weight 
of the new born baby is seven and a third pounds, 
while many healthy babies weigh less than this. 
Frequently, we hear of twelve and fourteen pound 
babies but these stories seldom are true. The little 
scales used in weighing babies can be regulated so 
that the apparent weight is several pounds more 
than the correct weight. So many parents seem 
disappointed if the baby does not weigh at least 
eight pounds that the friend or accommodating doc- 
tor or nurse often " stretches " the weight 

As a rule, boy babies weigh more than girl babies 
but this is not invariable. The size of the baby 
varies with the weight of the parents. Giants 
naturally would have larger children than Lillipu- 
tians. The child's weight varies also with the 
health of the parents, especially that of the mother. 
A woman who is overworked or run down from 
excessive childbearing cannot expect to have as 
healthy a child as she would have under normal con- 
no. 



YOUR BABY 

ditions. The age of the mother has some effect 
upon the size of the child. If she is very young 
or old the child is liable to be small. The best age 
for childbearing is from twenty- four to thirty- four. 
Before the former age a woman has not reached her 
full development. 

The first few days after birth a baby loses weight. 
Then it begins to gain, so that by the time it is ten 
days old it weighs about the same as it did at birth. 
If the baby is well, the gain will be slow but certain 
from that time on. The average gain is about an 
ounce a day for the first two months. Babies gain 
in weight most rapidly the first three months. From 
the sixth to the ninth months the gain is slower. 
The average baby will weigh about fourteen pounds 
at five months and twenty-one pounds at the end of 
the first year. 

Babies fed upon artificial food do not show the 
same gain the first week. Such a baby usually loses 
the first three days, then the weight remains sta- 
tionary for nearly two weeks. This is due to the 
effort of the system to become accustomed to the 
new food. Frequently, this failure to gain weight 
alarms the parents, who may as a consequence make 
a change in the food, which change only lengthens 
the period of stationary weight. 



WEIGHT, GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT 

The weight of the infant is the best means we 
have of judging the nutrition of the baby. Although 
the weight should not be taken as the only guide 
to a baby's condition, yet, it is of so much impor- 
tance that it is of great advantage to have it 
weighed regularly. For the first six months, the 
baby should be weighed weekly; for the next six 
months, bi-weekly weighing is sufficient ; during the 
second year, it is well to weigh the baby once a 
month. 

Perfect health the first year goes with the steady 
gain in weight. A child may not gain as rapidly as 
the average but the gain should be steady, otherwise 
the cause should be investigated. In many cases the 
baby's weight remains stationary for a period be- 
tween the seventh and tenth months when the baby is 
teething. This should not cause any alarm if the 
baby is well and happy. 

What the Baby Knows When It Is Born 

In the New York Lying-in Hospital, investiga- 
tions have been carried on to determine the extent 
of the knowledge possessed by the new born babe. 
From these studies, it has been concluded that a 
baby at birth is sensible to light and darkness. The 
optic nerve is ready to receive impressions even be- 
121 



YOUR BABY 

fore birth. Probably the first impression it receives 
after birth is that of light as distinguished from 
darkness. Aside from this, the baby has no use of 
its eyes for a number of weeks. 

It has some sense of hearing as shown by the fact 
that some children react to sound the first day of 
their lives. Some cry out as in pain at a sharp 
sound. However, there seems to be no ability to 
distinguish sounds except by their pitch and in- 
tensity. Words are meaningless to the new baby. 
Even the sound of its mother's voice is no different 
from that of others. 

There also is reason to believe that the new born 
babe has a sense of touch, a sense of motion and of 
position. Before it is twenty-four hours old, it 
makes known its preference in regard to position 
and place. It will lie quietly on a warm soft pillow 
while it will cry if laid on a hard chair. It also 
early manifests a desire for motion, and if its father 
humors this he might as well begin training for night 
walks, for the baby will not lie quietly if it can com- 
pel its father to walk the floor with it. 

Thirst is experienced the first day, but real hun- 
ger seldom appears for several days, as shown by 
the fact that for the first three days of its life a 
baby will be satisfied with a water diet. This seems 



WEIGHT, GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT 

to be in compliance with Nature's provisions, for 
usually the real milk does not appear in the mother's 
breasts until the third day. Before this time, there 
is a secretion which acts as a laxative for the baby. 
The young baby frequently suffers from thirst the 
first few days of its life as shown by the fact that 
many new babies cry and are restless without any 
apparent cause. A little warm water usually causes 
the baby to become quiet at once. Then it prob- 
ably will drop to sleep and remain asleep for sev- 
eral hours. Many mothers who do not understand 
this thirst of the new baby and who are un- 
able to discover any cause for its restlessness begin 
the harmful practice of giving soothing syrup or 
some kind of " tea." A drink of water would have 
the desired effect without the harmful results. In 
a few cases it is necessary to feed the baby if there 
is a rise of temperature known as inanition fever, 
but in such a case the physician will direct the feed- 
ing. 

There is good reason to believe that a new born 
child comes into the world with a shadowy remem- 
brance of several experiences. The child's body 
readily transmits sound and it must have had an 
impression of the sound of its mother's heart 
beat. 

123 



YOUR BABY 

The sense of touch must be developed in fcetal 
life during its movements. 

What a Baby Learns the First Year 

Usually we do not consider that a baby of one year 
of age has a great deal of knowledge, but, when we 
compare its knowledge with that which it had at 
birth, we find it has made considerable advancement 
during the year. 

At birth, it has no control of any muscles. Its 
movements are purposeless and futile. If it has any 
thought of what it would like to do, it has no power 
of accomplishment. Before it can make the most 
simple of controlled movements, every individual 
muscle concerned must be educated and trained to do 
the will of its owner. 

At first the little head, when unsupported, wobbles 
piteously. After a while the baby learns to control 
the muscles that support the head so, by the time it is 
a year old, it can maintain its head in any desired 
position. 

The early movements of the hands are futile, but, 
after a while, the baby learns to reach toward any- 
thing it desires. Later it learns to grasp an object 
and make use of its thumb in opposition to its 
fingers. 

124 



WEIGHT, GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT 

The eyes, at first, are able to distinguish only- 
daylight from darkness. Then they learn to distin- 
guish objects and to follow moving bodies. Before 
long, the mother's face becomes distinct from the 
others in general. 

During the first year the baby has learned to taste 
and now will manifest any dislike. He has learned 
the odor of certain things. He has learned to dis- 
tinguish sounds and knows the sound of his mother's 
footsteps. He can tell a glass of water from other 
objects. 

In his efforts to reach some desired object, he 
one day finds to his amazement that he can move 
towards the object. Evidently the sensation is a 
pleasant one, for he tries it again and again. Before 
long he is able to propel himself in whichever direc- 
tion he wishes to go. Before he could creep he has 
had to educate the muscles of his arms and legs, 
as well as those of his back. Not only this, he has 
learned a sense of direction and a consciousness of 
the presence of a desired object. 

Besides these wonderful accomplishments, the 
baby, during this first year, has been forming habits 
that will remain with him all during life. He 
either has established habits of regularity in eating, 
bathing and sleeping or he has formed irregular 
125 



YOUR BABY 

habits that will be a drawback to him in later years. 
By this time, he understands if his parents are firm 
in their discipline or if he will be able to sway 
them by crying or exhibiting other evidences of an 
uncontrolled temper. A baby never is too young to 
be taught the meaning of " yes " and " no." The 
great secret of discipline is reliability, the faculty of 
remaining unchangeable. The mother must be 
truthful to her child if she would train him correctly. 

What the Baby Learns the Second Year 

During the second year of his life, the amount 
of knowledge acquired by the child is quite notice- 
able. First he learns to stand by his mother's 
knee, then he finds that he can walk by the aid of a 
chair or other support. After a time, he discovers 
that he can stand without touching anything and 
finally gains confidence enough to attempt a few steps 
alone. If an adult feels timid about trying to bal- 
ance himself on a bicycle, how much more timid 
must a child feel about trying to balance himself 
upon his own wobbling legs. 

The first words spoken by a baby usually are 
" da, da " or " ma, ma." He probably has no con- 
ception of the meaning of what he is saying but 
simply is trying to imitate the sounds that have been 
126 



WEIGHT, GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT 

repeated to him many times. A mental impression 
finally has been made so that he is enabled to dis- 
tinguish these syllables from others. Although it is 
some time before he attempts to formulate any other 
sounds, yet all the time he is acquiring a store of 
knowledge and is learning words that he will repeat 
later. By the time a baby is two years of age, he 
will have a fair knowledge of the meaning of com- 
mon words so that he is able to understand the mean- 
ing of nearly all that is said to him. He also will 
have acquired a speaking knowledge of enough 
words to enable him to make his wants known. 
True, his remarks are very concise, but they are 
to the point. One word usually takes the place of 
an entire sentence. " Dink ! " might be interpreted 
to mean, " I would like a drink of water." " Mik ! " 
usually means " I would like some milk." " Bonnie, 
byby " means " I would like my bonnet so that I can 
go out of doors for a walk." 

Besides learning the meaning of words the baby 
has learned to recognize other sounds, as the sound 
of a street car on the track, of a wagon on the street, 
or of a whistle. Also he has learned to distinguish 
colors and has formed a basis for kindergarten 
work. He has gained control of his hands so that 
he is able to feed himself without many accidents. 
127 



YOUR BABY 

He, perhaps, has learned to make marks with a 
pencil and to cut paper into pieces. Indeed, if a 
child of this age has been under the guidance of one 
who understands kindergarten methods of teaching- 
children, there practically is no limit to the amount 
of knowledge that can be acquired by such a small 
person in the short time he has lived. During the 
second year he has acquired a set of teeth and a 
knowledge of their use. 



128 



CHAPTER XI 

GENERAL CARE OF THE BABY 

The Baby's Tub Bath. After the baby is a 
week or ten days old and the cord has dropped off 
it should be given a tub bath every day. For sev- 
eral reasons, this is preferable to the sponge bath. 
It can be done more quickly and thoroughly and the 
baby is not so liable to take cold. The room should 
be warm; an open fire is desirable. The water 
should be comfortably warm but not hot. It is 
well to lay a bath towel in the bottom of the 
tub and put only a small amount of water in at first 
so as not to frighten the baby. If a baby is plunged 
immediately into a tub of water, it becomes startled 
and may never enjoy a tub bath ; while if the water 
is added gradually, the baby's attention in the mean- 
time being attracted to something else, it soon learns 
to enjoy its morning dip. The eyes should be 
cleansed first with absorbent cotton dipped in boric 
acid solution. Squeeze a drop into each eye. The 
ears, mouth and nose then should be cleansed with 

(2 9 



YOUR BABY 

an applicator dipped in boric acid solution. An 
applicator is made by twisting a small tuft of ab- 
sorbent cotton upon the end of a wooden toothpick 
in such a way as to make a rounded pad. If made 
correctly the cotton will not slip off readily. Be 
careful not to injure the ears. It is better to ask 
your physician to show you just how to cleanse the 
ears correctly. 

The baby's bath should be given as nearly as pos- 
sible at the same hour each day at least an 
hour after feeding. For the first few weeks the 
temperature should be about ioo° F. After a 
few weeks it may be lowered gradually. It is 
well to use a bath thermometer. At first the dura- 
tion of the bath should be only about three min- 
utes. Later it may be five minutes. Besides the 
regular daily bath the lower part of the body should 
be sponged after each bowel movement. Only pure, 
unscented soap should be used. If the baby is in- 
clined to have eczema or chapping, oatmeal bags may 
be substituted for the soap. 

An older child who does not want to take a bath 
may be taught to enjoy it by having some toy added 
to the bath, such as one of the floating animals that 
may be purchased as low as five cents apiece. It 
is much better to coax a child with some toy than to 
130 



GENERAL CARE OF THE BABY 

compel him by force and against his will. In train- 
ing a child one never should attempt to " break " 
his will but rather should endeavor to guide it in 
right channels. Strong willed (not stubborn) peo- 
ple make the best citizens. Many a child has been 
made stubborn by attempts to coerce him into sub- 
mission. 

For the first few months of its life, the baby 
should be allowed to stay in the bath only a few min- 
utes and then taken out and dried quickly. As it 
grows older and stronger it should be allowed to 
play in the water for about fifteen minutes, as the 
skin absorbs some water which is beneficial to the 
system. Besides this, the water relaxes the muscles 
and aids in overcoming many wrong conditions. 
Muscles that have been contracted by disease will be 
benefited by the warm bath. 

Ordinarily we think of a bath as a cleansing agent 
only. There probably is no other health producing 
agent so imperfectly understood. The daily bath, 
besides being essential to cleanliness and daintiness, 
is necessary to health. The skin is supplied with in- 
numerable small pores which have an important 
function to perform. Some of the glands pour an 
oil onto the skin which keeps it lubricated while 
others throw off some of the waste material from 
I3 1 



YOUR BABY 

the body. Every minute, waste is being produced 
in the body in the same manner that ashes constantly 
are being made by a fire. If the ashes are not car- 
ried away the stove becomes clogged and the fire can- 
not burn. In the same manner, if the waste ma- 
terial of the body is not carried away, the various 
organs become clogged and cannot do their work. 
The pores of the skin must be kept open so that some 
of this waste material may pass away through the 
skin. 

Sex Toilet 

At the time of the daily bath, attention should be 
given to the external generative organs. With a 
boy, the foreskin should be retracted every day 
and the parts cleansed of all secretions. If it is 
impossible to retract the foreskin so as to expose 
the entire glans, the boy probably needs circum- 
cision. This should be done during the first year 
of life, for after that time the irritation from re- 
tained secretions is liable to cause various nervous 
disorders and to effect the general health of the child. 
Even girls sometimes need a similar operation if the 
clitoris is covered, or hooded. An irritation of the 
external generative organs is liable to cause the child 
to form a habit of self -abuse. 
132 



GENERAL CARE OF THE BABY 

In some instances female babies have a slight 
whitish discharge for a few days, and even may 
have a bloody discharge resembling the menses. 
This is nothing alarming and needs no treatment 
except to cleanse the parts twice a day with ab- 
sorbent cotton dipped in a warm boric acid solution. 

Powdering the Baby 

If the skin could be dried thoroughly after each 
bath, powder would not be necessary. However, 
there usually remains some dampness especially in the 
creases and folds. A mild pure powder applied to 
these parts and removed daily by the bath often pre- 
vents chafing. In some cases it is better to use 
vaseline or castor oil on the buttocks if there is 
much chafing. In a few cases the chafing is due to 
the food, when the baby is bottle fed, and it becomes 
necessary to make a change. 

The Baby's Sleep 

Twenty hours out of every twenty-four are re- 
quired for sleep by the very young baby. He should 
sleep nearly all the time except when he is being 
bathed and fed. A baby six months old should 
spend at least sixteen hours in sleep, and after that 
until the child reaches the school age, one-half the 
133 



YOUR BABY 

twenty- four hours should be devoted to sleep. 
Many babies become nervous, and this nervousness 
results in various troubles, as indigestion, all be- 
cause the baby does not have enough sleep. 

Even the smallest of babies should be provided 
with a separate bed, although this bed may be only 
a clothes-basket with a pillow for a mattress. 

In one year in Des Moines, Iowa, it was reported 
that ninety babies were found dead in bed with their 
mothers, in most cases they were suffocated by being 
rolled upon in their sleep. In England this acci- 
dent occurred so frequently that it became legally 
known as " over-lying " and is punished by law. 
Aside from this danger the baby who sleeps with a 
grown person is liable not to receive sufficient fresh 
air. 

Some mothers complain that the baby is cold when 
it sleeps alone. This can be remedied by a padded 
basket which keeps away drafts. The white iron 
cribs are sanitary but not very cozy for the small 
baby who arrives in cold weather. One way the 
bed can be made warmer is to place several thick- 
nesses of paper between the mattress and the springs 
and by throwing a blanket over the head of the bed. 
The latter is desirable as no good ever came from 
having a draft on the baby's head. Plenty of fresh 
134 



GENERAL CARE OF THE BABY 

air and drafts are two entirely different things. The 
former is necessary and desirable but the latter is 
unnecessary and harmful. 

The Baby's Rest 

The hours of rest and sleep for a young baby are 
as important as its diet. The very young baby 
should sleep practically all the time except while 
being bathed and fed. There is no danger of it 
sleeping too much if it is awakened at regular hours 
for feeding. 

One of the most important measures to insure a 
strong nervous system is plenty of sleep. From 
birth, the young baby should have a separate bed for 
the sake of both mother and child. If they sleep 
together one is liable to disturb the sleep of the 
other. If the baby is near the mother there is an in- 
clination to feed it too often, and the mother's sleep 
is disturbed frequently. Recently one young mother 
told me that she had been in the habit of allowing 
the baby to sleep with the nipple in its mouth all 
night. As a result, the baby had colic, the mother 
had very little sleep and was tired out. Her condi- 
tion naturally affected the baby and both were cross. 
A separate bed was provided for the baby and im- 
provement was seen at once. 
135 



YOUR BABY 

A baby may be " spoiled " the first two weeks of 
its life, or during this time habits of regularity may 
be established that will make the care of the baby 
much easier. It takes a baby only a few days to 
learn if it will be taken up and rocked every time 
it cries. If this is done in the beginning, the mother 
establishes a tyranny from which she will have hard 
work to escape and that will make her life a burden 
and her baby a care instead of a blessing. It seems 
rather hard at first to awaken a baby from a sound 
sleep just because the clock says it is time for feed- 
ing. Yet this seeming cruelty really is a kindness, 
not only to the baby but to all concerned. If the 
baby is awakened regularly for the first few months, 
it soon becomes accustomed to the habit. If fed at 
regular hours it is not as liable to have indigestion 
and colic as otherwise, the mother is enabled to plan 
her time and does not become so worn out by the 
constant demands upon her. 

During the summer the baby should sleep out of 
doors during the day, and at all seasons of the year 
a window should be opened in the baby's sleeping 
room. The baby should be well protected so as not 
to become cold. After the baby is old enough to 
move about, it is better that the regular night gowns 
should be discarded for sleeping suits made with feet 
136 



GENERAL CARE OF THE BABY 

so that there is no danger of the baby's feet becom- 
ing entirely exposed. 

By the time the baby is six months old it will lie 
awake several hours during the day and by proper 
training the mother may arrange these hours to suit 
her convenience. She should begin early to train 
the baby to have a nap from eleven to twelve when 
she is most liable to be busy. It then may have its 
luncheon and be ready for an afternoon of play. 
The baby should be quiet for the night by six o'clock. 
Too many families have a habit of allowing members 
of the family to play with the baby during the even- 
ing, tossing it and otherwise exciting it. This 
should not be allowed. Baby is not a plaything to be 
tossed about at the convenience of its elders. Its 
welfare should be the first consideration. 

After the baby is a year old it should not be put 
to bed for an hour after the evening meal, but this 
meal should be so arranged that the bedtime will 
not be later than seven o'clock. This is a good bed- 
time to keep until the child is about six years old. 
Then it may be allowed to sit up until eight o'clock 
and this latter time should be the regular bedtime 
until the child is at least ten years of age. The 
evening meal for children should be light, and only 
quiet games indulged in afterwards. The habit of 
137 



YOUR BABY 

allowing children to sit up until ten and eleven 
o'clock is very wrong, for this does not allow the 
child sufficient sleep. Many nervous children would 
overcome this condition if they had an earlier bed- 
time hour. If possible, children should sleep in 
separate rooms as they are liable to keep each other 
awake by talking if they are in the same room. 
The daily nap for a child should be continued 
until he enters school. Even then, if it can be ar- 
ranged to have him lie down for a few minutes after 
school, his nervous system will be greatly benefited. 
Nervous children are helped by lying quietly in a 
darkened room for a few minutes several times a 
day. Even five minute rest periods will work won- 
ders. Mental poise and self-control both are greatly 
benefited by these periods of absolute rest. 

Baby's Bed 

The most convenient bed for the baby is the bassi- 
net. This may be as simple or as elaborate as de- 
sired. A very good one may be made from an oval 
clothes-basket which should be about three feet long. 
The sides may be covered with dainty white material 
and trimmed according to the taste of the mother. 
The inside should be padded and fitted with a re- 
movable mattress. A rather large pillow will an- 
138 



GENERAL CARE OF THE BABY 

swer at first, although later a hair mattress is more 
desirable, especially in the summer time. Blankets 
are better than comforters as they may be washed 
easily. The dainty comforters soon lose their 
beauty. If a pillow for the head is used, it should 
be very small and usually it is more desirable that 
the baby should sleep without a pillow. 

Over the mattress should be a rubber sheet, or, 
preferably one of stork sheeting. This will keep the 
mattress clean and dry. The rubber sheet should be 
covered with a blanket and sheet as it is not desirable 
that the baby should lie directly on the rubber. 

The bassinet should not be allowed to stand on 
the floor as there is danger of drafts. It may be 
placed on one or two chairs and then can be moved 
easily. At night, it may be close to the mother's 
bed so that she can attend to the baby without get- 
ting out of bed. 

After the baby is about eight months old the basket 
will become too small and the baby be in danger 
of falling out if left alone. A white iron bed with 
adjustable sides is very convenient for the older 
baby. The old-fashioned cradle seldom is used, for 
although we love to think of the mother rocking her 
babe in the cradle, yet the cradle doomed mother to 
many weary hours of rocking. Recently, too, we 
'39 



YOUR BABY 

have decided that the constant rocking disturbed the 
nervous system of the baby and really kept sleep 
away for some time. It has been found that babies 
go to sleep more quickly if trained to lie quietly on 
the bed. But this training must commence from 
birth, for if a baby is rocked to sleep a few times 
it will demand it ever after. The young baby 
should be held and handled very little. After it has 
been fed, it should be laid on its side in a cool, 
darkened room and left alone. The mother should 
not sit near unless she wants to be compelled to do 
this all the time, for a baby soon becomes accustomed 
to having his mother near and will require her pres- 
ence at all hours. 

After the baby has been laid in his bed he should 
not be taken up again even though he does cry. 
The mother should investigate to see that he is in a 
comfortable position, that his clothes are dry and no 
pins disturbing him. She may give him a drink of 
water, then she should gently but firmly give him to 
understand that he will not be taken up. It is bet- 
ter for her to leave the room, for if she is near he 
may cry for her. 

The first baby usually is spoiled and the mother 
finds his care a burden. After a few more children 
have been added to the family she finds that the baby 
140 



GENERAL CARE OF THE BABY 

is just as healthy and even happier with less atten- 
tion. It is an injustice to all concerned to allow a 
baby to acquire the habit of being walked to sleep by 
either father or mother. 

Exercise for the Baby 

Exercise is an important measure in the promo- 
tion of health. From time immemorial physicians 
and others competent to advise have insisted upon 
exercise as essential to the growth and health of the 
body. The ancient Romans and Spartans laid es- 
pecial stress upon the value of exercise for both 
mother and babe. 

Baby needs exercise but he does not need violent 
exercise any more than he needs a hearty meal of 
beef-steak and potatoes. The one would be as in- 
jurious as the other. 

It is no uncommon sight upon entering a home in 
the evening to see father " playing with the baby," 
bouncing him up and down, jolting him on his knee 
and in innumerable other ways tending to overstimu- 
late the excitable and unstable nervous system of 
the immature child. The effect of such a course 
can be demonstrated, in a manner, by the parent 
himself if he will go through a series of violent ex- 
ercises, such as running, jumping and laughing 
141 



YOUR BABY 

heartily in the late evening hours. After that, he 
should go to bed immediately and try to calm him- 
self for a quiet sleep. Impossible! you say, and yet 
that is exactly what is expected of the baby. 

Among the chief requirements for the growth of 
the baby are plenty of rest and quiet, intermingled 
with a moderate amount of gentle exercise. For the 
greater part of the day, a young baby should lie in 
its bed. For the first few weeks it receives sufficient 
exercise by the movements at the regular periods for 
bathing and feeding. When the baby is given its 
morning bath the little body should be rubbed gently 
so as to exercise the tired muscles. That this rub- 
bing is appreciated and restful is shown by the 
fact that the baby always sleeps the best after a 
bath. 

An olive oil rub at night will do wonders in pro- 
moting the growth of the baby. Rub up the arms 
to the body using a firm regular stroke. Then place 
the hands flat on opposite sides of the arm and gently 
roll the muscles between the hands. Work in this 
manner the entire length of the arm. The legs then 
should be rubbed in the same manner. 

Then work down over the chest using the tips 
of the fingers only. Fix the fingers firmly on the 
surface and move the muscles with a rotary move- 
142 



GENERAL CARE OF THE BABY 

ment. Do not allow the fingers to slip over the 
surface but lift them and move them from place 
to place. 

Massage the abdomen in the same manner, only 
start at the lower right hand side and work upward 
as far as the navel, then work across to the left side 
and down on that side. This massage will do won- 
ders for the constipated baby. 

Turn the baby over on his abdomen and massage 
his back. Rub with the palm of the hand from the 
head downward along the spine and then over the 
sides. Then use the rotary movement all over the 
back. Finish with a few regular strokes. 

Then turn the baby over on his back and play 
with him a few minutes. Let him pull on your hand 
and try to raise his body. You will be astonished 
how quickly he gains in strength. 

After the baby is a few weeks old, he exercises 
his own muscles by kicking, reaching and crowing. 
Every little cry he makes exercises the lungs. For 
this reason it is not harmful for a baby to cry a mod- 
erate amount every day. Of course, violent crying 
should be avoided if possible as there always is dan- 
ger from overstrain. When the baby is a few weeks 
old it begins to throw its arms and legs about. Then 
it should be allowed to lie on its back when awake 
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YOUR BABY 

and exercise as it desires. The clothing should be 
arranged so as not to interfere with its free move- 
ments. There is no more perfect picture of health 
than that of a growing baby lying on its back, kick- 
ing and crowing contentedly. An occasional word 
from its mother or other companion helps to keep it 
happy, for babies may be lonesome as well as older 
people. However, it is not necessary to take the 
baby up in order to talk to it. As a rule babies 
are handled too much. The baby should be taken up 
and its position changed every time it is fed, but 
between times it seldom should be held. 

Fresh Air for the Baby 

An abundance of fresh air is as necessary for the 
health of the baby as is plenty of sleep and nourish- 
ing food. With the exception of a very few stormy 
days, the baby should be taken out of doors every 
day. Besides this, it must have plenty of fresh air 
in the living and sleeping rooms. There is no dan- 
ger of having too much fresh air. In too many 
homes cold weather and necessary fires mean stuffy 
rooms. How common it is to see an entire family 
huddled around a stove in the evening — all breath- 
ing and rebreathing the foul air. The old expres- 
sion, " trying to heat the whole outdoors," has been 
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GENERAL CARE OF THE BABY 

so impressed upon their minds that, by trying to keep 
all the heat in they keep all the fresh air out. Some 
houses never are well ventilated during the winter 
months. The only fresh air that gains entrance is 
the small quantity that rushes in whenever a door 
is opened to allow some person to pass in or out. 

The effect of this lack of ventilation is seen in 
the pale, drawn faces of the family. Mother's face 
becomes wrinkled and drawn, not with old age but 
with oxygen starvation. 

You may put all the fuel in the universe into the 
stove but if you do not open up the drafts and pro- 
vide some fresh air laden with oxygen, the fire will 
not burn brightly and no benefit will be derived 
from the wood or coal. If just a little air is allowed 
to enter, the fire may smoulder and consume the 
coal but the family will not derive much benefit. 
In this way the body is like a stove. You may stuff 
it with fuel (food) but if you do not provide fresh 
air half the benefit is wasted. 

The fresh air schools that have been established 
in several of the larger cities are a striking illustra- 
tion of this. Weak, puny children that never could 
survive a term spent in an ordinary school room be- 
gin to thrive almost immediately after entering the 
out-of-door schools. In these schools, the children 
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YOUR BABY 

are practically out-of-doors all day, being protected 
only from the storms and severe winds. They wear 
warm wraps all the time, even while studying in 
their seats. At frequent intervals they play games 
or have other light exercises. 

In some of the modern hospitals, there are out- 
of-door living rooms for some of the patients. It 
is a common occurrence to see babies sleeping 
peacefully in some sheltered nook of the porch dur- 
ing even the coldest winter days. Not only is it 
a fact that these babies do not take cold from this 
treatment, but they thrive wonderfully and begin 
to take on flesh. 

All this tends to prove what educators are trying 
to impress upon the public — that people, as a rule, 
would be much healthier and happier if they lived in 
the open air the greater part of the time. 

Care of the Teeth 

The care of the baby's teeth is very important, 
for upon the care given at this time depends, to a 
great extent, the condition of the teeth during adult 
life. 

The first teeth commence to form about four 
months before the birth of the baby and, during the 
early months of its life, they are deriving their 
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GENERAL CARE OF THE BABY 

strength from the food taken by the baby. For this 
reason, the food of the young baby should be of 
such a nature that it will give proper nourishment to 
the teeth. As everything the mother eats affects the 
milk, she should regulate her diet so as to eat con- 
siderable bone-forming material. Bottle fed babies 
should have their diet regulated to provide this 
important element. So often is this neglected that 
bottle fed babies usually have poorer teeth than do 
babies fed upon mother's milk. 

The baby's gums and mouth should be kept in a 
healthy condition by cleansing the mouth thoroughly 
several times a day with a boric acid solution. The 
ideal way is to cleanse it both before and after 
every meal. This prevents any milk remaining in 
the mouth to become sour and fermented. " Sore 
mouths " of infants usually denote lack of care, al- 
though sometimes this condition is due to indiges- 
tion. 

From the first appearance of the teeth they should 
be cleansed regularly several times a day and espe- 
cially at night. If the child has been accustomed 
from infancy to the cleansing of the teeth, the habit 
naturally will cling as he grows older. 

As the first teeth erupt they should be watched 
that they appear in their proper positions. Should 
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YOUR BABY 

one come in crooked, it should be straightened, for a 
crooked first tooth usually means a crooked second 
tooth. 

With some children the teeth begin to decay very 
early. In such a case the teeth should be filled with 
a temporary filling. If they are not filled it will be 
necessary to have them extracted before the proper 
time and this may mean that the second teeth will 
not appear in their proper positions. The teeth are 
set in sockets but not so firmly but that one will 
crowd over into a vacant place. Besides detracting 
from the appearance of a person, crooked teeth are 
more liable to decay than straight teeth. Then, too, 
crooked teeth cannot do as good work in cutting and 
grinding the food as can straight, evenly meeting 
teeth. If the teeth are not able to do their work 
properly, the stomach will suffer in consequence, so 
that crooked or decayed teeth may be the real cause 
of indigestion. 

After the teeth have erupted, children should not 
be fed entirely upon soft food as they need exercise 
of the teeth to promote their efficiency. 

There are twenty teeth in the first set. The two 
lower central teeth usually are the first to make their 
appearance when the baby is five to nine months old. 
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GENERAL CARE OF THE BABY 

Between the eighth and twelfth months the four 
upper teeth are cut. Then the other two lower and 
the four front double teeth come between the 
twelfth and eighteenth months. The four canine 
appear during the last half of the second year. Of 
these, the upper ones are commonly known as the 
eye teeth and the lower ones the stomach teeth. 
During the third year the four back double teeth 
complete the first set. 

At one year of age the average baby has six 
teeth, at one and a half years it has twelve teeth, at 
two years sixteen, and at two and a half years 
twenty. Teething is liable to be later in bottle fed 
babies than in breast fed, and also is delayed on 
account of illness of the child. 

There is no necessity of a baby being sickly at 
the teething period. Nearly all bad symptoms at 
teething are due to indigestion or to faulty feeding. 
It seldom should be necessary to have the gums 
lanced if they have not been hardened by " teeth- 
ing rings." It is not necessary or wise to give a 
baby any hard object upon which to bite during this 
period as this tends to harden the gums in the same 
manner as calluses are formed by irritation. 

The teeth should be examined by a competent 
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YOUR BABY 

dentist about every six months in order to have 
any cavities filled before they become so large that 
extraction of the tooth is necessary. Never wait 
for a tooth to ache ! 

Shoes for the Baby 

For the first few months of its life the baby does 
not need shoes unless there is a tendency to have 
cold feet. In such a case, warm knitted booties 
should be worn. These are the only shoes that 
should be worn until the baby is old enough to stand 
on its feet. If other shoes are worn before this 
time, they are liable to cramp the foot and cause 
it to grow out of shape. There is no use in bur- 
dening a baby with unnecessary clothing. 

As soon as a baby begins to stand on its feet it 
should have soft kid shoes with thin soles and no 
heels. These should be broad at the toe and con- 
form to the shape of the feet. For this reason 
there should be " lefts " and " rights." If the 
baby wears a shoe that does not fit, the tender 
muscles and bones are drawn out of shape. The 
shoe should be a little longer than the foot so as 
not to crowd the toes. It should fit at the heel 
and around the ankle, otherwise the foot may turn 
in the shoe and a sprain result. It is not uncom- 
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GENERAL CARE OF THE BABY 

mon for babies to suffer with sprained ankles as a 
result of wearing shoes that do not fit their feet. 
Laced shoes are better than buttoned ones as they 
can be adjusted to the feet better. 

When the child begins to run about, the shoes may 
be a little heavier with thicker soles. There should 
be no heels on the shoes until the baby is about 
three years old, then it should wear " spring heels " 
until it is seven or eight years of age. 

With small children, as well as with grown peo- 
ple, the shoes should be adapted to the weather. I 
have seen small children all bundled up in furs trod- 
ding along on a cold pavement with thin soled shoes 
which rendered little protection from the cold. 
" Baby catches cold every time he goes out for a 
walk ! " is the cry of the unthinking mother. More 
children contract colds and pneumonia because their 
feet are not clad properly than they do from 
wearing thin coats. It is much more necessary 
to protect the feet than to wrap the throat in 
furs. 

Almost as injurious and much more uncomfort- 
able to the child are the hot pavements during the 
summer days. The heat goes right through the little 
thin soles and poor baby suffers with his blistered 
feet. 

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YOUR BABY 

The Night Clothes 

The baby's night clothes should consist of a flan- 
nel shirt and band, a diaper and an outing flannel 
night gown. It probably is unnecessary to say that 
the shirt worn at night should not be the same as 
that worn during the day. The baby should be 
given a complete change of clothing night and morn- 
ing. The gown should reach several inches below 
the feet and be tied at the bottom with a draw 
string. A hot water bottle should be placed in the 
bed, not touching the baby but near enough so that 
heat is supplied If the baby is placed in a cold bed, 
it requires some time to get the bed warm and the 
baby loses all the extra heat. In bitter cold weather 
cotton blankets are better than sheets and if the 
baby is inclined to throw off the covers, a shawl or 
light blanket should be pinned around the shoulders, 
or a loose knit jacket may be worn over the gown. 

Diapers 

A baby's diapers always should be clean and dry. 
They never should be merely dried and used a sec- 
ond time. They should be washed and rinsed in 
boiling water and always dried thoroughly before 
they are used. There should be no soda or bluing 
used in the water and the soap must be rinsed out 
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GENERAL CARE OF THE BABY 

thoroughly after each washing, otherwise the dried 
particles of soap will chafe the child's tender skin. 
Toilet powder should be used very sparingly, if at 
all, as too much powder clogs the pores of the skin 
and does more harm than good. Common pins 
never should be used about the baby. 

A child may be trained to be regular in the move- 
ments of his bowels and by the third month he may 
be taught to use the chamber or chair for his move- 
ments if he is taken up immediately upon waking. 

The Baby's Bands 

A baby's bands should not be taken off until he 
has finished teething. Day and night, winter and 
summer, the baby should have flannel (not outing 
flannel) about his abdomen. He is far less likely 
to have summer complaint if he wears bands. 
After the first few months it is better to get the 
knitted ones with shoulder straps as these require 
no pins and there is no danger of them being too 
tight. For the first few months, the bands should 
be fastened snugly (not tight) so as to prevent rup- 
ture of the umbilicus. 



53 



CHAPTER XII 

WHAT, WHEN AND HOW TO FEED THE BABY 

That two million babies have died in the United 
States during the last ten years, that the majority 
of these died from preventable diseases and that 
nearly one-half died from some gastro-intestinal 
(so-called stomach and bowel) trouble is the alarm- 
ing and awful fact that we must admit. 

In some parts of the country, one-half the babies 
die before they are twelve months old. The ma- 
jority of these die because they are not given the 
proper care. The mothers do the best they know 
how, but they never have been taught how to care 
for babies. It is a strange fact that we have con- 
sidered it necessary for a girl to receive instruction 
before she is able to read, write or perform various 
other feats. We do not expect her to be able to do 
any of these by instinct, but have found it neces- 
sary to instruct her carefully. Yet we have con- 
sidered that she should know by instinct how to care 
for babies, which certainly is a more important 
154 



FEEDING THE BABY 

study than any given in the ordinary school. Of 
all the changes needed in this country one of the 
most important is the establishment in every school 
of a course for the instruction of girls in the science 
of motherhood. 

The feeding of infants is one of the most impor- 
tant problems with which every young mother has 
to deal. There seems to be a superstition among 
certain classes of people that a baby should not be 
refused anything which it apparently desires. As 
a consequence, many babies are fed upon bread, 
potatoes and even cabbage and turnips. All of 
these are as indigestible to a young baby as leather 
would be to an adult. A baby's stomach is a very 
delicate organ and is not capable of digesting any 
but the most simple of food. If it were best that 
the baby should have meat and vegetables the first 
year of its life, Nature would have provided teeth 
at birth. Such is not the case, young babies are 
not provided with teeth and, consequently, should be 
given only such food as does not necessitate the use 
of teeth. 

The Best Food for a Baby 

Naturally the best food for a young baby is 
mother's milk. Unfortunately, however, there are 
155 



YOUR BABY 

many babies that, for various reasons, must be 
brought up on artificial food. As there are few 
deaths among breast fed babies in comparison with 
the number among babies fed upon other food, it is 
the duty of every mother to nurse her baby unless 
there is a positive reason against it. Among these 
reasons may be disease of the mother, as tuber- 
culosis, or a lack of sufficient milk. The latter con- 
dition, however, frequently can be remedied by 
proper care of the mother. Attention should be 
given to the breasts before confinement and to the 
diet of the nursing mother. The mother who self- 
ishly refuses to nurse her baby because of social 
aspirations or similar reasons cannot be condemned 
in too strong terms. By her selfishness she is jeop- 
ardizing the life of her child. 

In those cases in which it is necessary to use arti- 
ficial food this should be as nearly like mother's milk 
as possible. If it is possible to obtain a good dairy 
milk, this, properly modified, makes the best food 
as it can be regulated to suit the individual child. 
There is so much difference in babies that it is im- 
possible to make any set rule as to the amount or 
richness of the food to be given to a baby. Usually 
milk from a herd of cattle is better than that 
from a single cow as it varies less from day to day. 
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FEEDING THE BABY 

Milk from Jersey or Guernsey cattle frequently is 
too rich for a baby. Milk from a Holstein herd 
probably is the best. The milk should be obtained 
fresh every day and enough prepared to last twenty- 
four hours. 

Top Milk Method 

Until very recently top milk has been considered 
better than whole milk. To obtain this, allow 
a quart of milk to stand in a quart measure or 
vessel of similar shape for about four hours. Then 
dip off the top third. This should be done accu- 
rately so that the milk will be of the same richness 
from day to day. It cannot be poured off accu- 
rately. There are little dippers made for this pur- 
pose which measure the milk correctly. The pur- 
chase of one not only will save a great deal of 
trouble and annoyance but will insure better milk 
for the baby. 

For a new baby, take two ounces (by measure) 
of top milk, one ounce of lime water, one even table- 
spoonful of sugar of milk and seventeen ounces of 
boiled water. Of this mixture about one and a 
half ounces should be given at a feeding. This 
food should be poured into the feeding bottles at 
once, just enough in each bottle for one feeding. 
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YOUR BABY 

This will make it necessary to have about six or 
eight bottles for a small baby. The bottles should be 
stoppered with a little absorbent cotton and placed 
on ice or in a cool cellar until needed. Remember 
that milk absorbs odors and do not place it near 
onions or other vegetables of pronounced odor. 

When it is time to feed the baby, one bottle 
should be heated by being placed in a pan of hot 
water. The other bottles should remain undis- 
turbed until needed. Throw away any unused food 
remaining in the bottle after a meal, never save it 
to be used with the next feeding. The loss of a 
little milk is better than to take any risks with the 
baby's life. 

Do not keep the baby's milk warm at night by 
putting it under the pillow, on the back of the 
stove or in the thermos bottle, for it may make the 
baby sick. Milk sours much more quickly if kept 
in a warm place than if kept on ice. Milk that has 
been kept warm for several hours may be soured 
slightly when it is time for it to be used. The con- 
sequence is that the baby's digestive system is upset. 
The mother who is bringing up her baby on a bottle 
must reconcile herself to the discomfort of arising 
at night to heat the milk if she values the health of 
her baby. 

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FEEDING THE BABY 

Sugar in the Baby's Milk 

When it is necessary to feed the baby from a 
bottle almost all prepared foods require to be sweet- 
ened. For this purpose only sugar of milk (milk- 
sugar) or malt sugar should be used. These can 
be obtained at any drug store. If ordinary sugar 
is used, the baby is liable to have colic, for the sugar 
ferments in the intestines and forms gas, which is 
the cause of colic. For this reason the common 
practice of feeding a baby sugar and water is harm- 
ful. 

Supplementary Feeding for the Baby 

In some cases the mother does not seem to have 
enough milk for her baby and yet desires to nurse it 
part of the time. Unthinkingly she is liable to pur- 
sue a course that tends to decrease the breast milk, 
for it is possible to dry up the mother's milk by put- 
ting the baby to the breast only at long intervals, 
as morning and evening or only at night. The bet- 
ter plan is to nurse the baby regularly and after the 
breasts are emptied to give the baby a little more 
food from a bottle. 

As the baby grows older the amount given at each 
feeding should be increased gradually. Usually it 
can be increased about one-fourth of an ounce each 
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YOUR BABY / 

week until the child is taking about five ounces. 
Then the strength of the mixture can be increased 
gradually by using a little more milk and a little 
less water. It may be necessary to vary the amount 
given according to the size of the baby. Naturally 
a large baby requires more nourishment than does a 
small one. The best indication for increasing the 
strength or quantity of the food is that the baby 
does not seem satisfied or is not gaining in weight, 
although the food is perfectly digested. 

It may be necessary to vary the proportion also 
if the milk does not seem to agree with the baby or 
if it has diarrhoea or constipation. The bowel 
movements should be watched closely as they are the 
best indication as to whether the milk is correct or 
not. If the baby is constipated this may be cor- 
rected by adding a little more cream, or by substitu- 
ting oatmeal water for plain water. Use a cup of oat- 
meal to five cups of water and boil four or five hours, 
adding water from time to time to keep the same 
amount. Strain through coarse muslin. If the 
stools are hard and lumpy with white curds, reduce 
the quantity of the milk. If the lumps in the move- 
ments are soft and grayish in color, the baby prob- 
ably is getting too much cream. If the stools are 
offensive, decrease the amount of milk and add 
1 60 



FEEDING THE BABY 

water. Do this also if the baby has diarrhoea. If 
the baby throws up its milk immediately after feed- 
ing reduce the quantity. Keep the baby quiet after 
feeding and give a little water between feed- 
ings. If the baby throws up its milk between meals 
decrease the quantity and add water. If it 
vomits copiously stop the milk and give boiled 
water. 

Whole Milk Method 

The whole milk method of feeding babies is being 
used quite extensively during the last few years. This 
method is much more simple for the average mother 
than is the top milk method. It has been found 
that an ounce and a half of a. good quality of cow's 
milk will furnish sufficient nourishment for twenty- 
four hours for a pound of baby, so that the amount 
of milk necessary for any baby can be obtained by 
multiplying one and a half ounces by the number of 
pounds the baby weighs. For illustration, a baby 
weighing eight pounds requires eight times one and 
a half ounces of milk or twelve ounces. Of course 
this must be diluted with sufficient water to make 
the necessary bulk, and also requires the addition of 
some form of sugar, as cow's milk is not as sweet 
as mother's milk. 

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YOUR BABY 

This sugar can be supplied in the form of cane 
sugar, milk sugar or malt sugar. Until very re- 
cently we have taken it for granted that milk sugar 
was the best, but now many consider that malt sugar 
is even better. However, the malt sugar is not used 
in its pure state, but in the form of extracts, as 
dextrimaltose. 

The amount of sugar to be added is determined 
by the number of feedings during the twenty-four 
hours and by the amount to be given at each meal. 
The number of feedings a baby requires during 
twenty-four hours is a question in the minds of 
many mothers. In days gone by, babies were fed 
whenever they cried, with the result that most of 
them were overfed and had so-called " three months 
colic." After a time we learned that a baby should 
be fed at regular intervals and we decided that every 
two hours was the proper interval. Later investiga- 
tions revealed that the stomach could not empty 
itself of milk in two hours, so we decided there 
must be a longer interval between feedings. In 
order to give the stomach a few moments' rest be- 
tween feedings, it has been found that four hour 
intervals were necessary and the best time for feed- 
ing the baby is at 6-10-2-6 and midnight. This 
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FEEDING THE BABY 

means a four hour interval during the day and a 
six hour interval at night. 

The first three months of a baby's life are the 
most difficult of nutrition. If the mother can nurse 
her baby for even three months the task of artificial 
feeding is much simplified. However, for those un- 
fortunate babies that must be given artificial food 
from birth, Dr. Grulee has given a simple method as 
follows : 

For the first twenty- four hours the baby should 
be given nothing but water (do not even add sugar). 
One to two ounces should be given every four hours 
at 6-10-2-6-10-2. The remainder of the first week 
three ounces of half milk and half water should be 
offered the baby every four hours. It is probable 
that the baby will not take all this, but gradually 
will take more and more. 

The second week a small amount of malt extract 
(about a level teaspoon ful) is added to the twenty- 
four hour quantity of food. The amount of this 
can be gradually increased until an ounce is used. 
If the baby shows any tendency to colic and the 
formation of gas, the sugar should be reduced in 
quantity. 

The amount of food given at each feeding can be 
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YOUR BABY 

increased gradually until by the end of the second 
month the baby is getting four to four and a half 
ounces at a feeding. During the second month one 
night feeding can be omitted and the other shifted 
to midnight, so that the baby is being fed at 6-10-2-6 
and midnight. 

The strength and quantity of the milk and water 
mixture can be increased gradually, but the number 
of ounces of milk given during twenty-four hours 
never should be more than one and a half times the 
weight of the baby. Even the older baby never 
should be given more than a quart of milk in twenty- 
four hours. 

Other Foods 

Certain babies seem to be unable to digest modi- 
fied or whole milk. These require individual at- 
tention and their diet should be prescribed and 
watched carefully by the attending physician. In 
some cases boiled milk, skimmed milk or even butter- 
milk seems to agree with the baby. 

Condensed Milk 

Under certain conditions Eagle Brand condensed 
milk is the best food, for it can be prepared by any- 
body and does not require especial care. Some 
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FEEDING THE BABY 

babies born in well-equipped homes, but with little 
vitality, are able to digest this milk when they can- 
not take other food. Quite frequently, too, this is 
a desirable food for a baby on a journey, for it can 
be obtained the same anywhere, while dairy milk 
varies in different localities. It is best, however, 
not to continue this milk for many months. A 
young baby fed upon this food should be gradually 
changed to whole milk after the sixth month. 

Overfeeding 

Never coax a baby to take more food than he 
wants. Too much food and too frequent feedings 
overtax the digestion and lead to stomach and intes- 
tinal disturbances. This is one reason the baby cries. 
He cries because he has indigestion from too much 
food, not because he is hungry. Boil a pint of 
water every morning and put it in a clean bottle. 
Keep in a cool place. Warm it before giving it to 
the baby. Give as much as he will take between 
feedings. 

Selecting the Baby's Bottle and Nipple 

Whenever it becomes necessary to feed the baby 
from a bottle this should be selected with care as 
should the nipples. The first nursing bottle ever 
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YOUR BABY 

used was made of a cow's horn with a leather nipple. 
Naturally it was impossible to cleanse this thor- 
oughly even if this necessity had been understood 
at that time and it was found that the majority 
of babies fed from a bottle died of "the gripes." 
A few years ago the bottle in common use had a 
long rubber tube. This was almost as bad from the 
health standpoint, for it was impossible to cleanse 
the long rubber tubes thoroughly. In fact now we 
class bottles of this sort with the "baby killers," 
which should be avoided. It really should be con- 
sidered criminal to sell or manufacture such a bot- 
tle. 

Plain bottles with nipples that fit directly on the 
bottle should be used. The special bottle with 
straight sides and no neck naturally is the easiest 
to keep clean as it may be washed the same as is a 
cup. However, ordinary eight ounce medicine bot- 
tles may be used and as these are not expensive one 
can afford to have one for each feeding so that all 
the food for twenty-four hours may be prepared 
and measured at the same time. 

The nipple should be made of pure gum, the white 
rubber ones usually contain poisonous lead and are 
not desirable. The red rubber ones usually are con- 
sidered the best, although the black are about as 
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FEEDING THE BABY 

good. In selecting the nipple, care should be taken 
that the hole is not too large. It should be just 
large enough to allow the milk to drop through and 
not run in a stream when the bottle is turned upside 
down. If it is impossible to procure a nipple with 
a small hole, one can be purchased without any 
opening and then the proper hole can be made with 
a red hot needle. There should be two nipples in 
constant use and as many bottles as there are feed- 
ings in the twenty-four hours. 

Care of the Baby's Bottle 

It is absolutely necessary for the health of the 
bottle fed baby that both bottle and nipple be kept 
scrupulously clean. After each feeding any food 
that remains in the bottle should be thrown out, 
the bottle rinsed and filled with cold water to 
which a pinch of soda has been added. Every 
morning all the bottles should be scrubbed well 
with a bottle brush and hot water and soap, 
rinsed, boiled twenty minutes and rinsed again. 
The bottles now are sterile and should be filled at 
once, just enough in each bottle for one feeding. 
The bottles then should be stoppered with a little 
absorbent cotton and placed on ice until needed. 
Tf the food is such that it must be prepared at the 
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YOUR BABY 

time of feeding, the empty bottles should be stop- 
pered in the same manner, in order to protect them 
from the dust until needed. 

After each meal the nipple should be cleansed 
thoroughly, then dropped in a cup of boric acid 
solution and allowed to stand until needed. Every 
morning the nipples should be turned inside out and 
scrubbed with hot water and soap. A nipple can be 
used only about two weeks when it must be replaced 
by a new one. 

The more simple the bottle and nipple the better, 
for they are more easily kept clean, and cleanliness 
is the essential element. One can obtain beautiful 
bottles with all kinds of long rubber tubes and 
patent devices, labor saving inventions which are a 
delusion and a snare. They are made especially to 
sell and are not nearly as good for practical purposes 
as are the simple bottle and nipple. There is no 
royal road to feeding babies by the bottle. A bot- 
tle fed baby is a great care and the mother must 
make up her mind to go to some trouble and pains 
if she would insure the health of her child. Clean- 
liness is the first essential and this cannot be over- 
done. Many mothers kill their babies through care- 
lessness due to ignorance. In these days, igno- 
rance is a sin, since there are plenty of sources 
1 68 



FEEDING THE BABY 

of instruction for those who are willing to take 
the trouble to learn. 

The work of caring for the bottles will be sim- 
plified if a number of bottles are provided, enough 
so that there is one for each feeding during the 
twenty-four hours. Then they can be boiled all at 
once in the morning. All that is necessary during 
the remainder of the day is to rinse each bottle 
thoroughly after it has been emptied and then leave 
it in soda water until the next regular washing 
time. 

The majority of deaths of babies under one year 
of age are due to diarrhoeal troubles caused by lack 
of cleanliness and attention in the care of either the 
bottle or the milk. All the water used in the prep- 
aration of the food or in the cleansing of the bot- 
tles should have been boiled previously, for disease 
germs may be left in the bottle by being washed 
in impure water. The watchword of the mother 
should be cleanliness. 

Water for the Baby 

Every child should be urged to drink plenty of 
water between meals. Even the very small baby 
gets thirsty and should be given a little water sev- 
eral times a day. Many mothers make the mistake 
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YOUR BABY 

of overfeeding their babies. Whenever the baby 
cries, it is fed. Instead of this it should be given 
a drink of water and fed only at regular intervals. 
A small baby needs to be fed only once between 
ten o'clock at night and six in the morning. Some 
young mothers make the mistake of allowing the 
baby to keep the nipple in its mouth all night. As 
a result the mother gets no rest and the baby be- 
comes cross and fretful. 

Teas and Soothing Syrups 

Never give the baby any " teas " except upon the 
advice of a physician. Soothing syrups are harm- 
ful for they quiet the baby by means of some drug, 
as morphine. The mother who gives her baby 
soothing syrups or paregoric when it cries simply is 
deadening the pain and giving her baby slow poison. 
If the baby happens to be strong enough to throw off 
the effect of the poison she congratulates herself that 
she has brought up her baby satisfactorily. The ef- 
fect of these poisons is so slow when taken in this 
manner that few mothers are able to notice any 
effect. The slow poisons, soothing syrups, produce 
many symptoms that should have been considered 
a warning note. The baby who has been dosed 
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FEEDING THE BABY 

usually has a sallow skin and disordered digestion. 
The latter causes it to be fretful, so more soothing 
syrup is given, which only increases the disorder 
until finally the frail little body succumbs — an- 
other victim to ignorance and selfishness. 

Weaning the Baby 

At what age the baby should be weaned depends 
entirely upon the individual circumstances. In ideal 
cases, this would be at the age of one year. How- 
ever, with the stress and strain of present day living 
the majority of mothers find their milk is not suffi- 
cient after the eighth or ninth month, so it seems 
best to commence to wean the baby gradually. 

Until this time the baby should live almost 
entirely upon good, pure milk. It also requires 
a moderate amount of water every day. The only 
addition to its diet should be a teaspoonful of 
orange juice once a day after it is six months 
old. The habit of taking the baby to the table and 
giving it a taste of various things should not be 
allowed. The baby should be trained from birth 
so that it will lie quietly in its bed while the family- 
are having their meals. 

After the baby is eight or nine months old a little 
171 



YOUR BABY 

prune juice or pulp of a baked apple may be given 
once a day. Gradually other articles of food may 
be added, but these must be such as are easily di- 
gested. Meat broths, soft boiled eggs, cereals and 
baked potato moistened with milk should be the 
chief things given. At first, these should be given 
only at the noonday meal but gradually they may 
be added to other meals. Oatmeal is a good winter 
food for children but should not be given too often 
in summer as it is too heating. 

A well cooked cereal (farina, cream of wheat, 
strained oatmeal, etc., cooked three hours) can be 
given once a day in place of the noonday feedings. 
Beef juice with stale bread crumbs, broths or a soft 
boiled egg can be given in addition to the cereal 
after the tenth month. Ham, bacon or pork, cab- 
bage, pickles, tea, coffee, beer, bananas, berries, cake 
or ice cream should not be given to babies or to little 
children. 

After the twelfth month the baby should take all 
milk from a cup. If allowed to nurse too long it 
becomes too attached to this method and may refuse 
any other food. An older child who has become 
attached to a bottle may even refuse food for a day 
before he will take it from a cup. 
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FEEDING THE BABY 

The Older Child 

The question frequently is asked if a child's nat- 
ural fondness for sweets does not indicate a need 
of the system, or what should be done for a child 
who craves sweets and refuses other food. Cer- 
tainly a moderate amount of sweets is desirable as 
it supplies some of the child's energy. However, 
this sugar should be supplied in the form of milk, 
fruit, vegetables, jellies, simple puddings and only 
an occasional piece of candy at meal time instead 
of other dessert. All the sugar a child needs can 
be included with other foods at mealtime without 
the mistake of allowing the indulgence in sweets 
between meals. If a child is allowed to eat candy, 
cake, or other sweets between meals the appetite 
for more nourishing food is lost and mealtime be- 
comes a farce. The child has various intestinal 
and stomach troubles and muscles, nerves, blood 
and bones all suffer in consequence. A growing 
child needs nourishing food, as milk, eggs, cereals, 
fruit and vegetables, and cannot be rosy and whole- 
some if sweets are substituted for these desirable 
articles. 

Children should be trained from the first to regu- 
lar mealtime hours. With small children, besides 
173 



YOUR BABY 

the three meals a day, there should be an extra 
lunch about ten in the morning and two-thirty in 
the afternoon. School children need a light lunch 
after school in the afternoon. This should not be 
heavy enough to spoil the appetite for the evening 
meal, however. 

For a child two years of age or older a typical 
day's diet should be similar to the following: 

Breakfast — fruit, cereal, bread and butter and glass 
of milk. 

Ten o'clock — glass of milk or bread and milk. 

Dinner at noon — soup, small amount of beef or 
chicken, vegetable, bread and butter, dessert, as 
baked apple, rice pudding or custard. 

Two-thirty — glass of milk or bread and milk. 

The evening meal between five and six should be 
light and consist of milk toast, bread and milk, 
or thick soup with bread and butter. A little 
jam, jelly or other light dessert may be allowed. 

Sugar may be allowed with the cereal. Simple 
desserts and cooked fruits may be sweetened. 
When the child eats other food along with the 
sweet, the diet is not a one sided affair. 

We frequently hear that candy eating results in 
poor teeth and this is true in a different way than 
174 



FEEDING THE BABY 

many realize. A child who eats quantities of 
candy usually has no appetite for the bone- forming 
foods so that the body does not have material from 
which to make strong teeth. Likewise the other 
body structures are liable to be affected. 



175 



CHAPTER XIII 



INTESTINAL DISORDERS 



Constipation. With babies, a frequent cause 
of illness is constipation. The baby's bowels 
should be regulated carefully so that they move 
freely every day. After a baby is a month old it 
should have from one to three movements every 
twenty-four hours. In appearance they should be 
soft and yellow and should contain no lumps. The 
movements should be noted carefully as they are 
the best guide as to whether the baby is getting the 
proper food. 

With breast fed babies the bowels should be regu- 
lated through the mother's milk. Everything the 
mother eats affects the milk, so by changing her 
own diet she is able to regulate the baby's diet. 
The mother should watch her own bowels, for if 
she is constipated, the baby is quite certain to be 
so too. When necessary the mother should take a 
mild laxative but she never should take any heavy 
cathartic for if she does the baby is liable to have 
176 



INTESTINAL DISORDERS 

cramps. The mother usually can regulate her own 
bowels by eating laxative fruit, as prunes and 
oranges. Graham bread that is sweetened with 
molasses instead of sugar also will help. 

Even with the best of care it may be necessary 
to give the baby an occasional laxative. Olive oil 
is the best for this purpose. Castor oil should not 
be used as the after-effects are constipating. From 
one-half to a teaspoon ful of the olive oil may be 
given a baby morning and evening. This oil, be- 
sides acting as a laxative, helps to nourish the baby. 

Occasionally, it will be necessary to give the baby 
an enema or injection of warm water. If the baby 
has cramps, this is one of the quickest means of re- 
lief. It never is wise to get in the habit of giving 
the baby a laxative or injection every day or every 
week, for this habit will become so well established 
that even after the baby is grown, pills or other 
laxatives will be his constant crutch. Some people 
suffer from constipation all their lives because the 
habit was formed when they were babies. 

With babies that are fed upon cow's milk or one 
of the many prepared foods, the bowels may be 
regulated by a slight change in the food. The ad- 
dition of a little more cream to each feeding usually 
will be all that is necessary. Some babies suffer 
177 



YOUR BABY 

from fat-constipation. They are unable to digest 
the fat which forms an insoluble soap in the intes- 
tines. The bowel movements are inclined to be clay 
colored. It may be necessary to give such a baby 
skimmed milk for a time, gradually returning to 
whole milk. Oatmeal water is excellent in this 
case. 

After the baby is six months old, it may be given 
a teaspoonful of orange juice every day: and after 
it is eight to ten months old, it may be given a little 
prune juice or baked apple. These will help to keep 
the bowels free. Older children may be given 
graham bread or coarse cookies beside the fruit 
juice. The older baby whose diet has been chiefly 
milk often requires bulk to his diet in order to over- 
come the constipation. Bran cookies are excellent 
for this purpose. 

Massage for Constipation 

Aside from regulation of the diet one of the best 
measures to overcome constipation in babies is mas- 
sage of the abdomen. Start at the lower right side 
of the abdomen and work upward as far as the 
navel, then work across to the left side and down 
on that side. Fix the fingers firmly on the surface 
and move the muscles with a rotary or kneading 
178 



INTESTINAL DISORDERS 

motion. Do not allow the fingers to slip over the 
surface but lift them and move them from place 
to place. A few minutes' massage night and morn- 
ing will work wonders for the baby that has become 
constipated. If persisted in, this treatment with 
attention to diet will cure constipation. 

Summer Diarrhcea in Babies 

A wise saying of the ancients was " obsta prin- 
cipiis " — prevent the beginning. This is applicable 
especially in the treatment of summer diarrhcea of 
infants. The majority of cases of diarrhcea or 
summer complaint are due to ignorance or careless- 
ness. The mother or nurse is in a hurry and neg- 
lects to be quite as thorough as she should be in the 
cleansing of the bottles and nipples or in the care 
of the milk. As a result, the baby has diarrhcea 
and the mother wonders how it happened. It is a 
fact that bottle fed babies have diarrhceal troubles 
about ten times as frequently as do breast fed in- 
fants. 

It seems to be customary for many mothers to 
give their babies " tastes " of various things, such as 
ice cream, coffee, lemonade, even beer and cabbage. 
Small wonder that babies have intestinal troubles! 
It is a wonder that any of them live. Before wean- 
179 



YOUR BABY 

ing time babies should not be given anything except 
milk and water, with the exception of a little orange 
juice after they are six months old. 

One important thing for all mothers to remember 
is that babies do not " catch " digestive or diarrhceal 
troubles. They eat them or drink them. Diar- 
rhoea usually is the aftermath of some error in feed- 
ing, perhaps some one has been careless in the 
cleansing of the bottles or the care of the milk. 

The greatest element in the prevention of diar- 
rhoea is the proper care of the milk, bottles and 
nipples. Any impurities in either the milk or water 
will affect the baby. Over-rich milk sometimes will 
cause looseness of the bowels. 

If the movements are very thin and loose, scald 
(not boil) the milk for a few days. If the bowels 
are exceedingly loose and the movements are green, 
stop the milk and give only boiled water or barley 
water. To make this, take one tablespoon ful of 
pearl barley and let it soak over night. Then place 
it in a quart of water in a double boiler and boil 
for four hours down to a pint, adding water from 
time to time if necessary. Strain through a cloth. 
After the movements have become normal, return 
to the milk gradually. Babies with diarrhoea may 
seem to be hungry but in reality are thirsty. Give 
1 80 



INTESTINAL DISORDERS 

plenty of boiled water, as this washes out the bowels 
and carries away any irritating material. One dose 
of castor oil may be given to carry away the irri- 
tating material in the bowels. This is better than 
any other laxative in this case as the secondary ef- 
fects are constipating. 

The baby should have from one to three move- 
ments every twenty-four hours. In appearance 
they should be soft and yellow and should contain 
no lumps. The movements should be watched 
closely and at the slightest indication of looseness, 
should be corrected at once without waiting for the 
trouble to become severe. Be especially careful 
about the milk in the spring and fall when the cows 
change pasture. Too much attention cannot be 
given to the milk and water supply in summer. If 
one is not certain that the water is pure, it is better 
to boil all that is given to the baby. During the hot 
weather this is a wise precaution anyway. 

Another measure that will aid in the prevention 
of summer diarrhoea is the wearing of a woolen 
binder. Until the baby is about two years old it 
should have its abdomen protected by flannel at all 
times. No matter how warm the day may be, there 
are liable to be little drafts which will cause a sud- 
den chilling of the abdomen. The knitted bands 
181 



YOUR BABY 

with a shoulder strap probably are the most con- 
venient. They should be pinned to the diaper in 
front so they will protect the abdomen well. 

Colic 

The habit of regularity if well established and 
carried out will prevent many of the ills of baby- 
hood. Colic indicates that something is wrong in 
the care of the baby. The old superstition that all 
babies must have " three months " colic is a fallacy. 
It is no more necessary for babies to have colic 
continually than it is for adults to have indigestion. 
In a great many cases colic is due to overfeeding 
or too frequent or irregular feeding. Perhaps one 
reason why all babies used to have colic in our 
grandmother's days was because they were fed at 
irregular hours. It was customary to feed a baby 
whenever it cried no matter what was the cause of 
the crying. 

If baby has colic the first thing to be done is to 
relieve the present attack. This usually can be done 
by cleansing out the intestinal tract with an enema 
of warm water, then applying heat to the feet and 
abdomen. A little peppermint water may be given 
as this aids in the digestion of the food and also 
helps to dislodge any gas that may have accumu- 
182 



INTESTINAL DISORDERS 

lated and which is giving pain. Sometimes if the 
baby is turned over on its abdomen and the back 
gently patted the gas will become dislodged. As 
soon as the gas commences to pass off the baby is 
relieved, for it is the gas that causes the pain of 
colic. 

After the attack has been relieved, the mother 
should look for the cause so as to prevent future 
attacks. In the majority of cases this is due to an 
error in feeding. A mistaken kindness has al- 
lowed some one to give the baby some food besides 
the milk and baby is unable to digest this food. If 
the baby is breast fed, it may be that the mother 
has eaten something that has disagreed with the 
baby. Quite frequently acid fruit or vegetables are 
the cause of colic, but other food may be the cause. 
Even meat and potatoes, if taken in too great quan- 
tities and unmixed with other diet, may cause colic. 
The mother must watch her own diet carefully to 
see what food does and what does not agree with 
her baby. No exact rules can be laid down, for 
babies vary in their needs as do older people. 

Another cause of colic is that the baby eats too 
fast or too much at one time. This can be cor- 
rected easily. When colic occurs a pretty good 
rule is to increase the time between meals, and de- 
183 



YOUR BABY 

crease the amount of milk. Sometimes the milk is 
too rich for the baby. In this case a teaspoon ful 
of water given just before meals will dilute the milk 
in the stomach. Sometimes colic is caused because 
baby eats too fast. It should take a baby from 
fifteen to twenty minutes to nurse. If a baby eats 
too fast the nipple should be removed from the 
mouth several times during a meal and the baby al- 
lowed to lie quietly on the lap for a moment. With 
bottle fed babies the hole in the nipple often is too 
large. It should be of such a size that when the 
bottle is turned upside down the milk will drop 
quickly but not flow in a stream. 

Be sure to keep flannel (not outing flannel) 
across the baby's abdomen at all times. If the 
baby's abdomen becomes chilled colic almost al- 
ways results. Be sure that the feet are warm. 
Cold feet may cause colic. 

Sometimes colic is due to an error in the diet of 
the mother. The mother should watch her diet 
from day to day and she will be able to tell which 
foods seem to produce colic. This varies in differ- 
ent cases. As a rule, the mother's diet should be 
varied with the avoidance of indigestible and acid 
foods. Remember that any laxatives the mother 
takes may give the baby colic even though they do 
184 



INTESTINAL DISORDERS 

not seem to have a laxative effect upon the baby's 
bowels. Worry or deep emotions of the mother 
affect the milk and may be the cause of the baby's 
discomfort. This mother should take more out-of- 
door exercise, and avoid worry. 



l8 5 



CHAPTER XIV 

SOME COMMON DISORDERS 

Jaundice of the New Born. A condition 
which is of little moment yet which causes con- 
siderable disturbance of the mental condition of the 
young and inexperienced mother is that of jaundice 
of the new born or, as the modern doctor would 
say, icterus neonatorum. 

Within a few days after birth many babies begin 
to turn " yellow," in other words, to become jaun- 
diced and the young mother naturally is much 
alarmed. If she listens to the neighbors she prob- 
ably will have some saffron tea brewed with which 
to give the baby generous doses. 

Jaundice occurs in from forty to eighty per cent, 
of the new born babies. Of nine hundred babies 
born in one maternity hospital three hundred be- 
came jaundiced. From the second to the fifth day 
is the usual time for the appearance of this condi- 
tion. It gradually increases in severity and then 
slowly disappears. The average duration in mild 
1 86 



SOME COMMON DISORDERS 

cases is three to four days but it may persist much 
longer. In very severe cases it has been known to 
continue two weeks. 

The jaundice is noticed first in the skin of the 
chest and face, then in the conjunctiva, finally 
spreading to other portions of the body. The skin 
varies in color from a pale yellow to an intense yel- 
lowish brown. The urine usually is normal as also 
are the bowel movements. In other forms of jaun- 
dice, the urine usually is highly colored and the 
stools are clay colored. 

The general health of the baby does not seem 
to be affected in any way. In the maternity hos- 
pitals it has been found that the babies that de- 
velop jaundice thrive as well as do those who are 
free from this disorder. However, in poorly nour- 
ished babies the discoloration seems to be more in- 
tense than in strong, healthy ones. 

The cause of this jaundice of the new born has 
not been determined definitely. One theory is that 
a slight delay in the changes that take place in the 
circulation of the child at birth or soon afterwards 
allows more than the normal amount of bile pig- 
ments to enter the blood the first few days after 
birth. This causes the jaundiced appearance of the 
skin. Another explanation is that owing to the 
187 



YOUR BABY 

change in the circulation in the liver at birth there 
is an active destruction of the red blood cells. In 
consequence of this destruction of red blood cells 
abundant material for the formation of bile pig- 
ment is formed. The more feeble the child the 
greater the destruction of red blood cells and, con- 
sequently, the greater degree of jaundice. 

Physiologic jaundice of the new born is not a 
serious condition, never proves fatal and usually 
will clear up without any treatment. It should not, 
however, be confused with other forms of icterus 
which may be the most noticeable symptom of 
some serious disease. 

Night Terrors 

It frequently happens that a baby will start out 
of its sleep in a state of fright, although there ap- 
parently is no cause for the condition. In some 
cases it is only after a long, hearty cry that the 
child drops to sleep again partly from exhaustion. 

In other cases the child arises in its sleep and 
walks to another room or, it may be, in perilous 
places. Children have been known to walk in 
places in their sleep where they could not possibly 
walk in their waking moments. If left alone, they 
1 88 



SOME COMMON DISORDERS 

will reach their destination in safety but if awak- 
ened in the midst of their progress, they may be- 
come mystified and have a severe fall. 

The cause of both of these conditions usually 
can be found in some habit of living. It may be 
that the child has eaten a hearty supper shortly be- 
fore bedtime, or it may be that the bedroom is too 
warm or poorly ventilated. It may be that the 
child has played too heartily before going to bed 
and the excitable nervous system has become so 
tense that the surplus energy must be exerted in 
some way. It rests with the parent to discover the 
cause of these night disturbances and remove it, 
after which the child usually will have a good 
night's sleep. 

Some children refuse to go to sleep unless there 
is a light in the room. This is due entirely to 
habit. A healthy child who has not been fright- 
ened with bug-a-boo stories will not be afraid of 
going to sleep in a darkened room. Parents do 
their children irreparable harm when they tell them 
stories of fanciful things and persons who may 
" get them in the dark." A child who has not been 
thus frightened and who has been trained properly 
from birth will not have any fear of the dark. 
189 



YOUR BABY 

However, if a child has become frightened, it is 
wrong to try to compel it to go to sleep in the dark. 
Such a child always should sleep in a darkened 
room but a door into an adjoining room where there 
is a light may be left open as the faint glimmer of 
light will allay the terrors, and assure him of the 
presence of his natural protectors. It only will 
make a child more nervous to sternly insist upon 
him going to sleep in the dark, as though he were 
being punished for some disobedience, when the 
truth is that the fault lies with the one who fright- 
ened him in the past. 

Occasionally these fears are due to some physi- 
cal condition that interferes with breathing, such 
as adenoids, enlarged tonsils and the like. Should 
a child show a tendency to sleep with his mouth 
open he should be taken to a physician and his 
throat examined and the cause removed if found. 
The slight operation may prevent a great deal of 
future trouble and unhappiness. 

In some cases an irritation of the nerves, as 
from a tight prepuce or from rectal worms, will be 
found to be the cause of these night terrors. 
Whenever a child has night terrors there is some 
cause for it and the wise parent will not rest until 
the cause is located. 

190 



SOME COMMON DISORDERS 

Bed Wetting 

The problem of bed wetting is a very common 
one and the treatment varies with the cause. In 
some cases it is due to a disorder of the brain, but 
in apparently healthy children it may be due to 
some irritation. If the boy (or girl) needs cir- 
cumcision or has worms these should be attended 
to first, as well as anything that affects the general 
health. A nervous, sickly child is liable to wet the 
bed because of lack of strength to control the mus- 
cles of the bladder. In many cases bed wetting 
is a habit established in infancy which is hard to 
break even though the child thinks he is trying. In 
some way an impression must be made upon the 
mind of the child that will remain even when he 
is asleep. Rewards have been found to produce 
good results. The promise of a much desired toy 
after a certain number of dry nights has proven 
successful in many cases. As a rule, punishments 
do not have as good effect in these cases as do re- 
wards. The payment of five cents for every dry 
night has brought better results than whippings for 
wet nights. During the day the child should be 
taught to hold his water as long as possible so as 
to expand the bladder and to gain control of the 
muscles. Liquids should not be given after four 
191 



YOUR BABY 

in the afternoon. The child should sleep in a well 
ventilated, cool room. The bed should be rather 
hard and not sag in the middle and the coverings 
should be as light as possible for warmth. Ele- 
vating the foot of the bed slightly sometimes has 
beneficial results by relieving the pressure on the 
bladder. 

Spina Bifida 

This is due to a failure of growth as is hare- 
lip or cleft palate. There is no special cause 
known. It is simply classed as an accident. The 
majority of such children die within the first few 
weeks. A very few live to adult life. If they 
live they are liable to have meningitis or lack con- 
trol over the bowels and bladder and be paralyzed 
in the lower limbs. 

Thumb Sucking Habit 

Various methods have been tried to break this 
habit of sucking the thumb but I have yet to learn 
of any reliable method. Some mothers put some- 
thing bitter on the baby's fingers. Others bandage 
the thumb for a time. One mother cured the habit 
by constant watchfulness for two weeks, taking the 
192 



SOME COMMON DISORDERS 

thumb out every time it went into the baby's mouth. 

Eczema 

In the majority of cases of eczema there is 
something wrong with the baby's diet, or the child is 
not getting enough fresh air, or too strong soaps are 
being used on the skin. With such a child oatmeal 
or bran bags should be used instead of the soap and 
the skin should not be bathed too frequently. The 
diet of the child inclined to eczema should be alka- 
line. 

Chafing 

This also is best treated by bran baths, after which 
the parts should be powdered well, or rubbed with 
castor oil or vaseline. 

Prickly Heat 

This is the result of excessive perspiration or irri- 
tation of flannel underclothing. The baby should be 
given a sponge bath and clothed less warmly. 

Sleeplessness 

Usually in these cases there is some nerve irrita- 
tion. It may be that the child plays too hard during 
the day and becomes too much excited. It would be 
193 



YOUR BABY 

well to keep the child rather quiet after four p. m. 
and give only a light supper at an early hour. It 
may be the cause is some local irritation, as from 
worms, a tight prepuce or constipation. 

Birthmarks 

The treatment varies with the extent and variety 
of the mark. In some instances electrical treatment 
has good results, but this should not be under- 
taken except by one who makes a specialty of this 
work. In many cases surgery gives the best out- 
come. 

Stuttering 

This is due to a nervous condition and usually is 
made worse by giving attention to it. Try the plan 
of not noticing it, but whenever the child talks es- 
pecially well praise him at the time. Never talk 
about his trouble when he can hear. Keep him out- 
of-doors as much as possible. In a few cases it 
may be necessary to send the child to a school which 
makes a specialty of treating this disorder. 

Ear Ache . 

Many babies suffer from ear ache although no 
one realizes the source of their discomfort. If the 
194 



SOME COMMON DISORDERS 

baby cries as though in pain and continually puts its 
hand to its head one should try treatment for the 
ears. Put a drop of warm mineral oil into the 
ear and apply a hot water bag, or wash the ear care- 
fully with warm water in an ear syringe. If at 
any time there is a discharge from the ears a physi- 
cian should be consulted as often deafness or even 
death follows from a neglected ear trouble. 

Cross-eyes 

In older children cross-eyes usually can be cor- 
rected by wearing glasses, but with a small baby 
about the only remedy is a slight operation to cut 
the little muscles that are drawing the eye out of 
place. In many cases it seems wise to wait until 
the child is old enough to wear glasses. Some of 
the nerve tension can be relieved by applying a 
cloth wrung out of hot water over the eyes while the 
baby is sleeping. This will relax the muscles and 
allow the eyes to assume a natural position, al- 
though it will not cure the condition if there is defec- 
tive vision. 

Holding Breath Spells 

Sometimes a baby forms a habit of holding his 
breath whenever he is angry. He may hold it un- 
195 



YOUR BABY 

til he is quite exhausted and cause the mother much 
anxiety. The best treatment for this condition is 
to leave the child alone in the room and not pay any 
attention to him. There is absolutely no danger 
and if he finds no one is worried about him he will 
cease his habit. The condition is similar to hysteria 
in older people. The more attention is given, the 
worse the trouble becomes. 

Knock-knees, Pigeon-toes 

The best treatment for these is educational. De- 
vise various plays which require the child to keep 
a correct position, as playing soldier. If mother is 
captain and gives such commands as " Heads up ! 
Toes out ! March ! " the child will enjoy the play 
and, at the. same time, be learning to walk correctly. 

BOW-LEGS 

These usually are caused by allowing the baby 
to bear its weight on its feet before the bones have 
become strong enough to maintain the upright posi- 
tion. Rickets, or other diseases that show deficient 
bone formation predispose to this condition. The 
child should have more bone forming material added 
to his diet, should be kept from walking much for a 
time and should have the legs massaged daily. In 
196 



SOME COMMON DISORDERS 

giving the massage the legs should be gently bent to 
a correct position. An older child will be benefited 
by being allowed to ride a velocipede which should 
be large enough so that he will have to stretch to 
reach the pedals. While riding, the weight is taken 
off the legs, yet the muscles are given the needed ex- 
ercise. 

Rickets 

In some of the poorer localities, especially of the 
large cities, it is not uncommon to see a small child 
whose head not only appears too large for his body 
but seems to be square in outline. A further ex- 
amination usually reveals bow legs or knock-knees, 
while the long bones of the arm also may be bent. 
The ends of the bones frequently appear to be 
clubbed. If the chest is examined the sides appear 
to be flattened, while the sternum or breast bone is 
very prominent. Nodules, which are called the 
" rachitic rosary," may be felt where the ribs join 
the sternum. 

Such a child presents a typical picture of rickets or 
rachitis. This is a disease characterized by defect- 
ive nutrition of the bony tissues. The most marked 
changes appear in the ribs and long bones, although 
the condition is general. The condition seldom is 
197 



YOUR BABY 

seen at birth but develops during the first or second 
year. If it commences early, the mother notices that 
the " soft spot " on the top of the baby's head does 
not close as soon as it should. The average age at 
which this closes is eighteen months. 

This condition is due to lack of proper food and 
bad hygienic surroundings. For this reason it most 
frequently is seen among the poverty stricken who 
usually do not even have sufficient fresh air. 

At birth, the framework of the baby's body is com- 
posed partly of cartilage or gristle. If the breast 
bone of a young chicken is examined, it will be found 
that the lower portion is not bone but gristle. As 
the chicken grows older the gristle is replaced by 
bony substance. The same is true of the bones of 
a baby. As the child grows, lime salts are depos- 
ited in the tissues and bony substance takes the 
place of the gristle. In order for this to take 
place, the baby must have sufficient bone- forming 
food. The mother who nurses her baby can regu- 
late the amount of bone forming material in the 
milk for the babies. The poor bottle-fed babies 
brought up on a bottle must also have this matter 
attended to. The mothers in the poorer localities, 
even though they do nurse their babies, frequently 
do not have enough nourishing food to make good 
198 



SOME COMMON DISORDERS 

milk for the babies. The poor bottle-fed babies 
fare even worse. 

While the bones are soft, they are easily bent out 
of shape so that bow-legs and other deformities are 
frequent in these localities. 

The child with rickets needs to be placed in the 
fresh air and fed nourishing food. Under such 
treatment, the bones gradually become stronger and 
some of the deformities may disappear. However, 
if the condition has remained so long that the 
bones are badly out of shape, the only result will be 
a prevention of further deformity. 

Adenoids 

Adenoids are little growths in the passage from 
the nose to the throat. These growths resemble 
small bunches of grapes. When they fill the air 
passages, the air cannot reach the lungs properly. 
As a result, the lungs do not receive enough oxy- 
gen, the blood does not contain enough coloring 
matter, the child becomes pale and tired. Such a 
child is less able to resist disease, so is constantly 
subject to sore throat and colds, as well as being 
more liable to contract the more serious diseases. 
Besides this, the face becomes drawn and dull look- 
ing, the mouth breathing causes the face to become 
199 



YOUR BABY 

deformed, the palate is arched and the teeth do not 
have their proper contour. The protruding teeth 
of many children are due to adenoids or enlarged 
tonsils. 

The only remedy for this condition is the re- 
moval of the little growths that are causing all the 
trouble. If something were plugging up the water 
main in a town, it would not take long for the en- 
gineer to decide to remove the obstruction. It is 
just as reasonable to remove the obstruction that is 
plugging up the air passages in the child's body. 

The change resulting sometimes is surprising. 
The child begins to take an interest in the things 
around him, the frequent colds are a thing of the 
past, the child begins to take on flesh and has color 
in his cheeks. He is a normal child again ! 

Hernia 

A rupture or hernia is so common with babies, 
especially boy babies, that it is surprising that so 
few mothers really understand the condition. 

Try to imagine a person with a bag of coiled 

tubing. The bag is double, consisting of a lining 

and an outer covering. Someway a tear or rip has 

appeared in the lining. This allows the tubing to 

200 



SOME COMMON DISORDERS 

come out between the lining and the outside, mak- 
ing an irregular lump. This is just the condition 
with a rupture or hernia. The intestines or bowels 
have come out between the lining muscles and the 
skin through a little tear or opening in the muscles. 
This opening commonly is the inguinal canal 
through which the spermatic cord runs. 

A good housekeeper would sew up the rip or 
tear in the lining of the bag without any question. 
That is what a surgeon does when he operates for 
hernia. He sews up the tear in the muscles so the 
intestines cannot come down. 

If the baby is very young, an operation may not 
be necessary, for there is a chance that the muscles 
will grow together again if the intestines are held 
in place for awhile. A truss is a contrivance for 
holding these in place. It does not in itself cure 
the trouble. We see many advertisements saying, 
" Rupture cured without a knife." These are 
fakes. The most common treatment these adver- 
tisers use is to inject a little paraffin or wax under 
the skin to plug up the tear as a cork would stopper 
a bottle. This may keep the intestines up for a 
time and the patient is thought to be cured. How- 
ever, it is very common for this wax to become dis- 
20 1 



YOUR BABY 

placed a little and an examination will reveal that 
the tear has become larger than ever. These cases 
usually have to be operated upon eventually. 

If the hernia is not repaired, there is danger of 
what is known as strangulated hernia, that is, the in- 
testine comes down between the muscles and be- 
comes caught so that it cannot go back into place. 
This is a very serious condition, for the blood sup- 
ply usually is cut off and the intestine will become 
gangrenous (dead). This may result in death of 
the patient within a few hours. If a rupture ever 
becomes caught in this way, there is no time to be 
lost until the abdomen is opened by a surgeon and 
the intestine released. 

Rupture may be congenital, that is, present at 
birth, or it may be caused by heavy lifting or strain- 
ing. For this reason, a small child should not be 
allowed to strain himself by trying to lift a heavy 
object. Some children are inclined to attempt 
tasks too great for their strength and must be re- 
strained. Violent crying and straining at stool 
may produce a rupture if there is a weak spot in 
the muscles. This is one reason a baby should 
wear a band around the abdomen over the navel 
for the first few weeks after birth. 
202 



SOME COMMON DISORDERS 

Swallowing Foreign Bodies 

In this case, be sure the article has been swal- 
lowed and has not just slipped down in the bed or 
in some other place out of sight, then feed the baby 
dry bread. This has a tendency to coat whatever 
substance has been swallowed and usually will 
carry it safely through the intestinal tract. Even 
sharp substances often pass safely through in this 
manner. It usually requires three or four days and 
perhaps even ten days for the substance to pass, so 
the bowel movements should be watched carefully 
all this time. No laxative should be given as this 
is liable to cause the foreign body to pass on so 
quickly that it may injure the intestine. 

Taking Poison 

It is needless to say that every precaution should 
be taken to keep all poisons out of reach of baby's 
hands. However, should baby accidentally swal- 
low poison, no time should be lost in sending for 
the doctor. In the meantime, the baby should be 
given an emetic so as to produce vomiting. Quan- 
tities of water should be given to wash out the 
stomach. 

203 



YOUR BABY 

Convulsions or Spasms 

These usually result from indigestion although 
they may be the first symptoms of some systemic 
disease, as scarlet fever, or of other chronic condi- 
tions, as epilepsy. They may be due to some irri- 
tation as from rectal worms or a tight prepuce. 
The cause should be determined and proper treat- 
ment instituted to prevent future attacks. While 
waiting for the doctor, the mother is safe in giving 
an enema (injection) of warm water to wash out 
the bowel thoroughly. In many cases this is the 
only treatment necessary. 

Vaccination 

After a baby is a year old and before it associates 
much with other children, it is best to have vac- 
cination performed. As long as it is so well proven 
that this is a preventive of smallpox, it is best to be 
on the safe side. If done carefully by an experi- 
enced physician and taken care of afterwards there 
is little danger of any untoward effects. 

Hives or Nettle Rash 

This usually is due to indigestion. Certain arti- 
cles of food may be the cause. The itching of the 
parts may be relieved by bathing with warm water 
204 



SOME COMMON DISORDERS 

to which has been added a little common baking 
soda, or by powdering the parts with a good talcum 
powder. However, the cure rests in the thorough 
cleansing of the bowels and regulation of the diet. 

The Baby's Cry 

The cry of a child requires the closest observation 
if one would use this as a guide to the child's con- 
dition, yet a great deal can be told by the expres- 
sion, the character of the cry and the time of oc- 
currence. 

An unremitting cry usually is due to hunger or 
thirst, although it may be due to earache. Not 
every cry that ceases with nursing is due to hunger, 
as sometimes even colic is relieved temporally. 
The paroxysmal cry, very severe at times and then 
ceasing absolutely, probably is due to colic, par- 
ticularly if the abdomen is distended. 

The persistent cry may be due to some continued 
irritation as the pricking of a pin, or it may be 
caused by the constant itching of eczema. A 
sleepy child has a fretful cry often accompanied by 
rubbing of the eyes. A fretful, peevish, whining 
cry is heard in children with general poor health. 
In conditions of great weakness or exhaustion the 
baby moans feebly or may twist its face in position 
205 



YOUR BABY 

for crying and yet utter no sound. A loud violent 
cry coming on suddenly may indicate temper, but 
when a child two to six years of age awakens at 
night with violent screaming he probably is suffer- 
ing from night terrors. 

If the baby cries every time it is picked up, it is 
probable that pressure on the breast causes pain, the 
result of rickets or pleurisy. If the baby cries 
when a certain spot is touched, this suggests that 
something is wrong with that particular part. A 
shrill cry uttered now and then often indicates in- 
flammation of the brain. In diseases of the lungs, 
the cry is short, as the child cannot hold its breath 
long; while a nasal cry indicates a cold in the head. 
A short cry immediately after coughing indicates 
that the cough and cry hurts the breast, while a 
crying spell when the bowels move indicates pain at 
that time. Crying when anything is taken into the 
mouth indicates some trouble there, while if the 
crying occurs during swallowing it is probable that 
the throat is inflamed. 

'These suggestions are of importance to the 
young mother who frequently confuses the cry of 
temper with the cry of pain, or the cry of pain with 
the cry of hunger. 



206 



CHAPTER XV 

ACCIDENTS AND DISEASES OF CHILDHOOD 

When Baby Has Croup. Perhaps no two 
words carry dread to so many mothers as do croup 
and pneumonia. Croup, while usually the less seri- 
ous of the two, is perhaps the most alarming to a 
young mother, for it generally makes its unwelcome 
visit about midnight. When one is awakened from 
a sound sleep to find a child, who has gone to bed 
apparently in the best of health, struggling for 
breath, one naturally is alarmed. Yet, if one can 
keep her presence of mind, the attack usually can be 
relieved in a short time and the child will drop to 
sleep to awaken in the morning as well as ever. 
One almost is inclined to think the night experience 
only has been a dreadful nightmare. 

However, a child who has had one attack of croup 
is liable to have repeated attacks for several succes- 
sive nights, so it is wise to fortify against them. 
No matter how frequently one sees cases of croup, 
it never fails to instill a feeling of terror. The 
207 



YOUR BABY 

oppression and distress for a time are very serious, 
the face usually is congested, sometimes almost cya- 
notic, the breathing is noisy, hard and labored, while 
the sound of the hard metallic cough makes an im- 
pression never to be forgotten. The child seems 
to be making an almost superhuman struggle for 
breath. This struggle for breath is caused by a 
spasm of the larynx which does not allow enough 
air to enter the lungs. If a physician is present he 
may relax the spasm by a few whiffs of chloroform, 
but the same results may be accomplished almost as 
readily by a mild emetic. This relaxes the muscles 
and also empties the overloaded stomach. For it 
is a fact that an overloaded stomach usually pre- 
cedes an attack of croup. A child who is subject 
to croup should eat a very light and easily digested 
evening meal. 

Every nursery should be provided with emergency 
remedies to be used when necessary. If a child is 
subject to croup, the mother should request her 
family physician to keep her supplied with a remedy 
to be used whenever an attack comes on. 

The attack often can be alleviated by moist in- 
halations. A few drops of turpentine may be 
poured into a pan of boiling water and the child 
allowed to breathe the vapor. Breathing the hot, 
208 



ACCIDENTS AND DISEASES 

dry air from a stove or furnace predisposes to croup. 
A pan of water should be placed so as to keep the 
air in the room moist. 

A very cold or a hot cloth applied directly to the 
chest sometimes helps to relieve the attack of croup, 
while a common treatment is to place the child in a 
tub of water as hot as can be borne. An enema 
of warm water may be given. No especial after- 
treatment is necessary for ordinary cases of croup. 
Every effort should be made to prevent the attacks 
by regulating the food and insisting upon plenty 
of fresh air at all times. The child should be clad 
warmly when out of doors. Especially the feet 
should be well protected and under no circumstances 
should the child be allowed to remain with wet or 
cold feet. Adenoids or other unhealthy conditions 
should be corrected. 

Colds 

Colds are another common disorder, in winter 
time especially. It is a good plan for every mother 
to purchase a clinical thermometer and learn how to 
use it. Variation in the temperature is one of the 
first signs of illness in babies. With a baby the 
best way to take the temperature is to insert the 
thermometer about an inch and a half into the rec- 
209 



YOUR BABY 

turn and allow it to remain in place for two or three 
minutes. The normal temperature of a baby is 
about 99 F. Whenever the baby does not seem 
well the mother should take its temperature and see 
if it has any fever, then she will be able to judge 
better as to the seriousness of the illness. One can- 
not always tell by the first symptoms presented what 
is the true cause of the illness. Many a mother 
sends for the doctor because the baby's stomach is 
upset. When the doctor makes an examination he 
may find that this is not the most serious symptom 
present. Frequently in the beginning of pneumonia 
in babies there is vomiting or diarrhcea or constipa- 
tion. If the mother would observe closely she 
would notice that the baby was breathing faster 
than usual and she would at once suspect that there 
was some trouble with the lungs. Whenever a baby 
has a cold or its stomach is upset, the mother is per- 
fectly safe in giving it an enema, or injection, of 
warm water. No nursery or home should be with- 
out a syringe, for one always is needed where there 
is a baby. 

Another home remedy that may be used in the 

case of a cold is the old-fashioned onion poultice. 

Doubtless this has saved the lives of hundreds of 

babies. In our grandmother's days it frequently 

210 



ACCIDENTS AND DISEASES 

was the case that the doctor had to ride fifty miles 
on horseback in order to see a patient, so he could 
not be summoned unless the baby was seriously ill 
and home remedies had failed. Our grandmothers 
always kept on hand a supply of home remedies 
which were very efficacious. 

Every nursery should be supplied with a few 
simple remedies, as essence of peppermint, castor 
oil, turpentine and oil. 

Pneumonia 

Pneumonia usually follows exposure of some sort, 
but lack of fresh air and nourishing food predispose 
to it, that is, make the child more liable to contract 
the disease. A child whose body is in a good con- 
dition is much better able to resist exposure than is 
one who is debilitated from insufficient food or oxy- 
gen starvation. 

With babies, there is a short, catchy cry that is 
characteristic of acute pneumonia, or bronchitis. 
Although there are several forms of pneumonia, the 
one called broncho-pneumonia is most common with 
babies and small children. The chief symptoms are 
rapid, difficult respirations and a rapid pulse rate. 
The child may breathe as frequently as sixty times a 
minute. The skin feels dry and hot indicating a 



YOUR BABY 

feverish condition. The child usually is very rest- 
less. Cough may or may not be present. Some- 
times, the onset of the disease is marked by vomit- 
ing and, rarely, by convulsions. Intestinal compli- 
cations are common, there often being four or five 
green stools a day. The urine usually is scanty 
and highly colored. The disease varies in severity. 
Some cases would get well with no treatment, while 
some babies die within twelve hours. As a rule, the 
baby has a better chance for life if the treatment is 
commenced in the early stages of the disease. It is 
here the mother's work is needed. There are many 
things she can do before the arrival of the doctor. 
In fact, if those who lived far from a doctor waited 
until he arrived before anything was done, the baby 
would have a poor chance for its life. 

One of the chief requirements is good ventilation. 
It is better to have the room cold than to have poor 
air in the room. The baby should be kept warm by 
clothing and by hot water bottles placed near it. 
It may be given hot drinks to help induce perspira- 
tion. Its position should be changed frequently. 
The old-fashioned onion poultice applied to the 
chest in the early stages doubtless has saved the lives 
of many babies. Good results may be obtained by 
rubbing the chest and neck with turpentine and oil. 
212 



ACCIDENTS AND DISEASES 

Moist inhalations are as beneficial here as they are 
in croup. The child should inhale the steam for ten 
to fifteen minutes four or five times a day. The 
bowels should be kept free. Although the baby will 
have no appetite and can be coaxed to take only a 
small amount of nourishment, it will be thirsty and 
should be given as much water as it can drink. 

If there are signs of collapse, a hot mustard bath 
may be given. However, the chief aim of the 
mother should be to keep the baby warm enough to 
induce perspiration while at the same time it has 
plenty of fresh air to breathe. If the doctor has 
left directions, they should be followed exactly and 
the medicine given on time, otherwise it is useless 
for the doctor to prescribe. 

Measles 

It is customary to regard measles as a joke or at 
least as a matter of no importance. The majority 
of parents make no effort to have their children 
avoid the contagion. In many towns the cases are 
not quarantined. 

In times past, it was customary to regard an epi- 
demic of any disease as a visitation of Providence. 
With our recent knowledge, we know that epidemics 
are flue to carelessness or lack of sanitation. With 
213 



YOUR BABY 

many of the contagious diseases, a rigid system of 
quarantine is enforced. In the larger cities measles 
are classed where they belong, with the contagious 
diseases, but in many of the smaller towns no at- 
tention is paid to this disease. Children continue 
in school even though they daily associate with their 
brothers and sisters who have the disease. As a 
result, the contagion spreads through the lower 
grades until, frequently, half the pupils are ill. 
Those afflicted stay at. home for a week and then 
calmly return to school as though nothing had hap- 
pened, and as though they were not carrying the dis- 
ease to others. 

If measles were as simple a disease as the ma- 
jority think, this would be all well and fair. But 
measles is not a simple disease. The acute attack 
may be light, but the sequela may be the opposite. 
Frequently a mild attack of measles is followed by 
a serious inflammation of the kidneys which may 
cost the life of the child. Otitis media, or an in- 
flammation of the middle ear, is another complica- 
tion to be avoided as permanent deafness sometimes 
results from this. 

In order to avoid these dangers, the child should 
have close attention while it is having the measles, 
no matter how light the attack may be. The child 
214 






ACCIDENTS AND DISEASES 

should be kept warm in a well ventilated room. 
Hot drinks should be given frequently as these help 
to " bring out the rash." A sudden chilling sends 
the blood to the internal organs and may cause a 
congestion of the kidneys. The latter always 
should be watched and if a child is not passing a 
normal amount of urine, the physician should be 
consulted. 

The nose and throat should be sprayed several 
times a day with a mild antiseptic solution, as boric 
acid solution. The child should not be allowed to 
blow his nose violently as this act may force some 
of the secretions from the nose into the ear pas- 
sages where they will cause serious trouble. 

The room should be kept darkened as the light 
hurts the child's eyes. Several times a day the eyes 
should be bathed with the boric acid solution. If 
they are much inflamed, a cloth wet with the solu- 
tion laid across the eyes will give relief. The child 
should not return to school until all discharges from 
the eyes, ears, throat or nose have ceased and until 
everything has been fumigated thoroughly. 

Mumps 

One of the most painful disorders of childhood is 
mumps. This is an acute, contagious disease, the 



YOUR BABY 

chief characteristic of which is the inflammation 
of the parotid and, perhaps, other salivary 
glands. 

The mother may notice that the child's neck ap- 
pears to be swollen. This swelling is below and 
in front of the ear, is pyriform in shape and has a 
doughy feel. An older child may complain of an 
inability to swallow, acid food especially giving ex- 
cruciating pain. The jaw is moved with difficulty. 
The swelling may be on one or both sides. 
Usually it appears on one side first and then a few 
days later on the other. The mouth is dry as the 
saliva usually is lessened. There may have been 
symptoms previous to the swelling such as headache, 
vomiting, or pains in the back and limbs. 

Inquiry usually reveals that the child has been 
exposed to the mumps one to three weeks previously. 
The disease usually is acquired through direct con- 
tact and probably from the secretions of the salivary 
and parotid glands. It is contagious from the be- 
ginning of the symptoms and for about three weeks 
after the swelling first appears. For this reason, 
the patient should be isolated and not allowed to 
come in contact with other children. The disease 
is very rarely fatal although there may be death 
from complications if the patient is not given good 
216 



ACCIDENTS AND DISEASES 

care. One attack confers immunity from later ex- 
posures. 

The patient should be kept in bed and the chief 
treatment should be measures to relieve the aching 
pain. For this purpose hot poultices usually are 
applied. One of the quickest and most effective 
remedies is hot fomentations. The skin over the 
affected area should be rubbed with a mixture of 
turpentine and olive oil (one part of turpentine to 
about eight of olive oil), then flannel cloths should 
be wrung out of hot water and applied to the parts. 
Over these should be placed a dry cloth and the 
whole held in place by bandages. The hot moist 
heat seems to penetrate better than dry heat and so is 
more effective. Flaxseed or linseed meal poultices 
are excellent. If a little olive oil is added after 
the mush is prepared, the poultice will not become 
hard and dry so easily. Hot salt bags, or hot water 
bags may be used if it is impossible to apply the hot 
moist heat, in fact, any hot application affords con- 
siderable relief. 

The diet should be light and nourishing. As it 
often is painful and difficult to chew the food, it is 
better to give a liquid diet for a few days. This 
may be taken through a tube. 

The bowels should be kept open. A warm bath 
217 



YOUR BABY 

or alcohol rub morning and evening is very refresh- 
ing and restful and relieves the aching limbs. 

In young children there seldom are any serious 
complications, as there are in older people. In a 
few cases deafness has followed but this is not com- 
mon. 

Whooping Cough 

Spring housecleaning and whooping cough seem 
to be boon companions. Whenever moving days 
and housecleaning come, the typical whoop is heard 
on all sides. We might wonder at the coincidence 
if we did not know that whooping cough was a 
contagious disease and that the germs of the disease 
would live from year to year. They find lodging 
places in the rugs, the curtains and the furniture 
where they remain in repose until disturbed from 
their rest by the zealous housewife. As they are 
driven out of their dwelling they ride on air cur- 
rents until they find a resting place in some little 
child's air passages. Here they begin to grow and 
produce various symptoms. 

Probably the first symptom noticed by the 

mother is a slight hacking cough. This gradually 

is prolonged and increases in severity. It does not 

respond to the ordinary home remedies. The 

218 



ACCIDENTS AND DISEASES 

child's sleep is disturbed at night, for the paroxysms 
of coughing seem to be worse when the child is 
lying down. The general health is not much im- 
paired although a paroxysm of coughing may be 
followed by vomiting. Usually the typical whoop 
is not heard until about three weeks. This is a long 
drawn, shrill, whooping inspiration due to a spas- 
modic closure of the glottis. The number of par- 
oxysms varies from twelve to fifty in twenty- four 
hours. The duration of this stage of whooping is 
about three weeks, but the cough may continue for 
some time afterwards. The entire course of the 
disease extends over a period from a few weeks to 
several months. 

The chief dangers are from the complications or 
sequela. Pneumonia or tuberculosis may be the 
closing chapters of this disease. Indeed the latter 
especially is a danger for it makes its appearance 
so insidiously that the parents do not realize that 
another disease has appeared until it is too late to 
save the child's life. 

The treatment consists first in isolation and quar- 
antine to protect others, followed by thorough disin- 
fection so that the germs may not remain until the 
next year. 

A tight binder pinned around the abdomen will 
219 



YOUR BABY 

be found to lessen the paroxysms of coughing and, 
also, will tend to prevent vomiting. 

Fresh air, sunlight and protection from exposure 
to inclement weather are necessary. The room 
should be well ventilated ; for rebreathing of the in- 
fected air prolongs the duration of the disease. In 
the later stages, sea air is especially beneficial. If 
the coughing period is prolonged, the lungs should 
be tested at intervals so that tuberculosis may not 
become established without the knowledge of the 
parents. 

The diet should be light and nutritious. On ac- 
count of the vomiting, it is better to feed a small 
amount at frequent intervals instead of limiting 
the child to the regular meals. 

In the early stages the severity may be lessened 
by spraying the mouth, throat and nose with a mild 
antiseptic solution. This should be done several 
times a day. 

Scarlet Fever 

One of the most contagious of the children's dis- 
eases is scarlet fever. It usually occurs in epidemic 
form and may assume alarming proportions if not 
held in check by quarantine and other measures of 
sanitary importance. 

220 



ACCIDENTS AND DISEASES 

The onset of scarlet fever usually is abrupt. 
A child, who previously has been well, suddenly will 
commence to vomit without any apparent cause. If 
it is old enough to do so, it may complain of a head- 
ache and a sore throat with difficulty in swallowing. 
An examination of the throat shows the tonsils 
and all the posterior region of the mouth fiery 
red. The temperature is high and the pulse rate 
fast. 

The second day the eruption appears. It is a 
scarlet, punctate eruption, which usually commences 
on the throat and chest and then spreads to other 
parts of the body. About this time, the tongue 
takes on the typical appearance. It is coated white 
but the papillae become enlarged and protrude giving 
the " strawberry " appearance. 

On the fourth day the rash commences to dis- 
appear and three days later desquamation or " peel- 
ing " begins. The temperature begins to fall when 
the rash appears. 

The complications may be numerous. Otitis 
media, or inflammation of the middle ear, is one of 
the most common. The mastoid cells may become 
involved, causing mastoiditis. 

Endocarditis, or inflammation of the heart, is not 
uncommon. A patient who has struggled through 
221 



YOUR BABY 

the acute attack of the disease may be left with a 
weakened heart to trouble him the remainder of his 

life. 

Nephritis or inflammation of the kidneys quite 
commonly follows an attack of this disease. It 
may not appear until the child apparently has been 
well for a week or two. The danger of nephritis 
and other complications may be lessened by careful 
nursing. The child should not be allowed to leave 
his bed too early. His diet should be regulated 
carefully for several weeks. He should not be ex- 
posed to any drafts or inclement weather for some 
time. 

In the treatment of this disease, the patient should 
be kept in bed in a well ventilated room. He 
should be isolated and no one except the doctor and 
nurse allowed in the room. The diet should be 
light but nourishing. Milk and other liquids should 
be the chief articles of diet. Water should be 
given in abundance. 

A daily sponge bath with warm water, followed 
by an oil rub is very beneficial. The oil keeps the 
skin softened and also relieves the itching that usu- 
ally accompanies the desquamation. 

The mouth, nose and throat should be sprayed 
222 



ACCIDENTS AND DISEASES 

several times a day with a mild antiseptic solution. 
The urine should be measured daily and any diminu- 
tion of the quantity should be reported to the physi- 
cian as this may indicate the commencement of seri- 
ous kidney trouble. 

No case of scarlet fever is too mild to be given 
the best of care, for frequently the mild cases are 
followed by the most severe sequela. 

When Baby Becomes Burned 

Almost every day we hear of some little baby be- 
coming badly burned or scalded. In a number of 
cases serious results might have been averted by 
proper care given immediately. 

Whenever an accident occurs many people be- 
come panic stricken and do the worst possible 
thing. For instance, if the baby's clothing has 
caught fire many a frightened mother runs to the 
neighbor's while every second the baby is becom- 
ing more burned. The proper course of action 
would have been for her to grab the nearest heavy 
cloth, a coat, a heavy skirt, a portiere, even a rug, 
anything she can find in which to wrap the baby 
quickly. Fire cannot burn without air, so if the 
air is excluded from the fire it will go out immedi- 
223 



YOUR BABY 

ately. Throwing water on burning clothing often 
spreads the fire more. Smothering it with a blanket 
is the best means of quenching it. 

As soon as the fire is out not a moment should 
be lost until a remedy is applied. In the case of a 
burn the remedy should be of such a nature that 
it will keep out the air and also allay the intolerable 
burning. One of the best remedies is Carron oil. 
This is made by mixing equal parts of lime water 
and raw linseed oil. In every home where there 
are children there should be an emergency chest in 
some convenient location. In this chest should be 
a bottle of lime water and another of raw linseed 
oil. Pieces of soft cloth, or better still, a package 
of sterile gauze also should be in the emergency 
chest. Pieces of gauze should be saturated with 
Carron oil and applied to the burned parts immedi- 
ately. They should be held in place by bandages, 
but first of all the burned surfaces should be cov- 
ered. 

In the absence of Carron oil, lard and baking 
soda form a good preparation. In the absence of 
any remedies immerse the burned portions in water 
until a remedy can be procured. The water keeps 
the air from reaching the burn and is preferable to 
224 



ACCIDENTS AND DISEASES 

something that will cling to the raw surfaces, as 
flour and water. 

If the burn is at all extensive, the doctor should 
be called at once as some complications may result. 
In extensive burns the kidneys are liable to become 
affected and these must be watched carefully. The 
urine should be measured daily. 

Be Careful of Drugs 

There are so many accidents and deaths recorded 
due to carelessness in the handling of medicines 
that the necessity for caution cannot be impressed 
too strongly. 

If drugs of any sort are kept in the house, they 
should be placed out of the reach of the children and 
preferably under lock and key. Children are as 
liable to drink poison as they are lemonade if it 
has a pretty color, so it is better to avoid all pos- 
sibility of an accident by keeping all drugs in a safe 
place. As it usually is necessary and desirable to 
keep a few remedies in the house, it is better to have 
a special place provided for them. Then they not 
only will be out of the reach of small children but 
also will be where they can be found quickly in an 
emergency. 

225 



YOUR BABY 

Look Twice Before Giving or Taking Any 
Medicine 

One never should take a dose of medicine in the 
dark no matter how certain she is that she knows 
exactly what she is taking. There always is a pos- 
sibility that some one else has exchanged the bottles 
since the last daylight visit. It takes so little time 
to strike a match that it seems strange that any 
one would risk taking medicine in the dark. 

In taking medicine one should look carefully at 
the label before pouring out the dose and again 
after it has been poured but before it has been taken. 
This extra precaution may seem unnecessary, but its 
adoption would avoid many accidental deaths. 

Do not Keep Unlabeled Bottles 

No unlabeled bottles should be kept. If the label 
has been destroyed accidentally, unless it is replaced 
at once, it is better to throw out the contents of the 
bottle than risk a possible accident. 



226 



CHAPTER XVI 

THE DISCIPLINE OF CHILDREN 

How to Spoil the Baby. A baby can be so 
" spoiled " before it is twenty-four hours old that it 
will take weeks of discipline to overcome this first 
impression ! 

Upon the care and attention given the baby the 
first day of its life, depend, to a great extent, the 
requirements of the next few months. As soon as 
it is born it should be wrapped comfortably and laid 
on a pillow until the nurse has time to dress it. 
Then it should be bathed, dressed, given a teaspoon- 
ful of warm water and put to bed. The less a 
baby is handled, the better for its health : the more it 
is allowed to lie quietly, the better will be the condi- 
tion of its nervous system. Movements of any 
kind excite the nervous system. Rocking is as ex- 
citing to a new born babe as is " shooting the chutes " 
to an older person. Excited nerves crave more 
excitement which means more care for the mother. 
227 



YOUR BABY 

Before a baby is many hours old, it will cry. 
The tendency is to pick it up, cuddle it, rock it and 
fuss over it generally. This is entirely wrong if 
the mother would be saved hours of unnecessary 
work. If the baby cries it should be examined to 
see that there are no pins pricking the tender flesh, 
no annoying wrinkles in the clothing, nor anything 
materially wrong, then it should be given a drink 
of water and turned in a different position. It may 
cry for several hours at first but if it finds that it 
will not be taken up it will go to sleep again. 
One can prove that a baby often cries just because 
it wants to be held, by taking it up once or twice 
and noting how quickly it becomes quiet. It takes 
a baby only a few days to learn if it will be held 
every time it cries, it takes only a few days to es- 
tablish a habit of rocking the baby to sleep. 

Many mothers are made slaves to their babies be- 
cause they think the baby is too young to be disci- 
plined. They become drudges who continually rock 
back and forth or walk the floor. Their health and 
happiness are lost. They do not derive any com- 
fort, only care, from the presence of the little one. 
This should not be. A well baby should not usurp 
the entire time of its mother. It should be able to 
amuse itself the greater part of the time. It should 



THE DISCIPLINE OF CHILDREN 

be trained from the first to go to sleep with no one 
near, not to require rocking and coddling. 

The baby should not be held except when being 
fed or bathed. The remainder of the time it should 
lie quietly in bed and require little attention. The 
more attention one gives a baby the more is re- 
quired. This does not mean the baby should be 
neglected in any way, but he should not be pampered 
and " spoiled." 

The Secret of Discipline 

The secret of discipline is honesty. Many moth- 
ers would resent the implication that they were dis- 
honest with their children, yet such is the case. 
It does not take a child long to decide if he can de- 
pend on his mother's word or not. If he decides he 
cannot, then discipline flies out of the window. 

Recently I noticed a mother and her two-year- 
old daughter leaving a restaurant. The child had 
been eating candy and still had a rather large piece 
in her hand. The mother said, " Here, give me 
that candy. You cannot have any more until we 
get home." The child at once began to cry so the 
mother broke off a small piece of the candy and put 
it in the child's mouth saying, " Well, that is all you 
can have anyway." That mother was not honest 
229 



YOUR BABY 

with her child for she made one statement and then 
did not carry it out. 

Another day I heard a mother say to her small 
daughter, "If you get your dress soiled you cannot 
go riding with me." Mary immediately reached 
for some candy and proceeded to cover her dress 
with the ' chocolate coating. Of course there was 
a scene, some scolding and tears, but it ended by 
a clean dress being forthcoming, as otherwise the 
mother would have had to stay at home, too. 

These are incidents of every-day life. Every- 
where we hear scoldings and bribes on the part of 
the mothers, tears and wails on the part of chil- 
dren — ending in the child having its own way. 
Every defeat for the mother makes it just so 
much harder for her to have any discipline. Every 
compromise makes her position a little less 
secure. 

There is only one way to have discipline without 
tears and whippings. That way is to be perfectly 
honest with the child. If the child is told to do 
anything and he does not, he should be punished im- 
mediately, but the punishment should be a natural 
sequence of the wrong. For instance, if Johnnie is 
told he may cut the pictures out of a paper but 
must not touch anything else, and he goes ahead 
230 



THE DISCIPLINE OF CHILDREN 

and cuts some books, he naturally should be de- 
prived of the scissors until he is large enough to be 
trusted with them. 

If Mary marks the couch or the rug with her 
colored crayons when she has been given some 
paper upon which to mark, it would be natural that 
she should not be allowed to have the crayons for 
several days. 

It is not wise to threaten children. One never 
should say, " Now, Johnnie, if you do not get your 
hands washed I shall have to punish you." That 
puts the wrong idea into the child's head. The better 
way would be to give him the suggestion as it is to 
be carried out. " Johnnie, I wish you would show 
me how nice and clean you can get your hands." 
Then if he does not respond, the punishment should 
be certain but very moderate. A punishment never 
should be promised unless one intends to keep the 
promise. 

Suggestion During Babyhood 

The power of suggestion with children is enor- 
mous. It can do more good than any rod and more 
harm than any laxity of discipline. A baby is born 
into the world without any definite ideas of his 
surroundings. He acquires his ideas through imi- 
231 



YOUR BABY 

tation of others, or by suggestions given him either 
consciously or unconsciously. 

In the last few years much has been written 
concerning psychic or mental treatment, how dis- 
ease has been cured, homes made happy, the weak 
strong and the struggling made competent by the 
power of mind over body. 

To have any idea of this great subject, there are 
a few basic principles that must be understood. 
One of these is the existence of two component 
parts of the mind. These have been named vari- 
ously but the terms commonly used are the con- 
scious and the subconscious mind. Briefly, the con- 
scious mind controls our voluntary acts and the 
subconscious mind acts as a reservoir for all the 
impressions received from earliest infancy. The 
experiences of our childhood, which long have been 
forgotten, are stored up here and may be brought 
to light later if the right key is touched. This 
reservoir of knowledge is ever at our command if 
we but knew how to use it. By some of the modern 
methods of education we are learning how to de- 
velop our power over this subconscious mind so 
that it may be of great service to us. 

It is considered that every habit we have acquired 
can be accounted for by some previous experience. 
232 



THE DISCIPLINE OF CHILDREN 

Therefore, if we wish children to acquire correct 
habits we must see that they receive the right im- 
pressions on the subconscious mind. 

It has been proven by experiment that it is pos- 
sible to influence the habits and character of a child 
to a great extent by the mental impressions given it. 
Constant repetition of anything tends to form an 
impression on the mind that will develop into a 
habit even though the one who gave the impression 
desired the opposite effect. Thus, the mother who 
constantly reiterates in the presence of her son that 
" Johnnie is such a naughty boy. He will not do a 
thing I tell him to do," is making a mental impres- 
sion that she does not desire. The mother must 
bear in mind that she must make the statements 
that she would wish to have true. Even though 
Johnnie has been naughty she would make a better 
mental impression by saying, " Johnnie usually is 
such a nice boy. He loves mother and tries to do 
what she would like to have him do. I am certain 
Johnnie did not mean to do anything that would 
cause mother to feel badly. He is going to help 
mother now." 

Even in talking to a young baby it is possible to 
make mental impressions that are lasting. If the 
mother says, " naughty baby," a great many times 
233 



YOUR BABY 

the ideal left in the child's mind will be very dif- 
ferent from that left by the mother who says, 
" Baby is sweet. Mother loves baby." 

Training Babies While They Sleep 

It is claimed that much can be done to influence 
a child's conduct by talking to it while it is asleep. 
Of course the theory of this is based on the suppo- 
sition that the subconscious mind never sleeps but 
always is ready and willing to receive impressions. 
We know that a person awakens in the morning 
much better prepared for the daily tasks of life if he 
has had a peaceful sleep in a quiet room, while if his 
sleep has been disturbed or the surroundings are 
noisy he awakens in an irritable frame of mind. 

With a baby, the same effects are true to an even 
greater extent, for the child's nervous system is 
very susceptible. Many times a child awakens cross 
and fretful when the main cause is that his position 
during sleep has not been restful, or the ventilation 
in the room has been so poor that the lungs have 
not had a sufficient supply of oxygen to carry off the 
toxins of the body. 

The fretful baby may be lulled into a reposeful 
slumber by his mother's crooning lullaby. Let the 
mother break forth in a swinging melody sung in a 
234 



THE DISCIPLINE OF CHILDREN 

high key and see how quickly the baby is disturbed 
and awakened. It is the tune sung in a low sooth- 
ing tone that is the most quieting. The words of 
the song have little influence on the child. It is 
the tone of voice more than words. The mother 
may change the words of the song and even carry 
on a conversation, if she keeps the same pitch and 
rhythm, and the child will not be disturbed. 

Psychologists have carried on numerous experi- 
ments to determine the extent to which a child can 
be influenced by its surroundings during sleep. It 
is claimed that wonderful results have been obtained 
by having the mother talk to her child while it is 
sleeping. Perhaps the best results are obtained 
during the period that just precedes sound sleep, 
when the conscious will has been soothed into 
quietude and yet all the receptive faculties are still 
awake. Even though the words themselves and the 
thought are not understood by the infantile mind, 
at any rate, the quiet repetition of the words and 
phrases soothes the nervous system and makes it 
more capable of withstanding the irritations com- 
mon even to normal life. 

With the experiments carried on the mother sat 
by the bedside of her child just as it was going 
to slumberland and repeated over and over again in 
235 



YOUR BABY 

a quiet well-modulated voice the things she wished 
to impress upon the child. It is better not to try 
to give more than one thought at a time, although 
this may be expressed in several different ways. 
For instance, the mother sitting by the bedside of 
the baby that has been irritable and cross might say, 
" To-morrow baby is going to be good. He is go- 
ing to have a nice sleep now and when he awakens 
he will feel so rested and will be such a good boy." 
Just how much can be accomplished by this proce- 
dure is a matter for conjecture, but at any rate a 
trial can do no harm. 

Habits of Regularity 

One of the most important things in the training 
of babies is the training in habits of regularity, — 
regularity in sleeping, in eating, in going to the 
toilet. The old saying, — " as a twig is bent so the 
tree inclines," is true of babies. The habits babies 
establish during the first year will cling to them all 
their lives. This makes it very important that the 
mother should start the child right. Many an adult 
suffers from constipation and indigestion all the 
years of his life because his mother did not know 
the necessity of establishing regular habits of living. 
236 



THE DISCIPLINE OF CHILDREN 

Many an adult fails in his purpose in life because 
he never has been trained to correct habits, but only 
to self-indulgence, because of the mistaken ideas of 
kindness which refused to deny him anything his 
fancy desired. 

A child will not crave any article of food which 
lie never has tasted. A desire for certain indigest- 
ible articles is taught the child by being given 
" tastes " of various things. The child who is al- 
lowed to follow his own whims, no matter how un- 
wise, will grow up to be a disagreeable, self-cen- 
tered, selfish individual cordially disliked by his 
companions. 

Discipline does not mean punishment. It means 
being truthful or consistent. It means carrying out 
all promises. It does not mean punishing to-day 
for what was overlooked yesterday. 

Fear in Children 

Children are born without fear. It is taught to 
them by their mothers, fathers and associates. A 
young child fears nothing. He will place his hand 
upon a hot stove or under a falling axe without 
hesitation. A small baby will go to any one who 
cares to hold him. 

?37 



YOUR BABY 

Children need to be taught caution but they do 
not need to be taught fear. Rather they need to be 
encouraged to self-confidence. 

At an early age children are taught fear by their 
mothers. "Look out or the bogie man will get 
you." " Be good, or I'll put you out in the dark." 
These are expressions commonly heard and the 
child is taught to regard the dark as full of name- 
less terrors. 

"If you are not a good boy I will send for the 
doctor." This threat has caused a great deal of 
trouble for the mother as well as for others, for 
when the doctor really was needed the child would 
cry with terror at his presence. Children should be 
taught to regard the doctor as a dear friend who 
makes people well again, not as an object of terror. 

Some children are naturally timid (perhaps due 
to prenatal influence) and they should have their 
fears driven away by a few simple explanations. If 
something, in which there is no harm, excites them 
this should be explained to them so that they will 
not fear it again. Children will not have so many 
accidents if taught self-confidence and self-reliance. 



238 



INDEX 

PAGE 

Abdomen, care of 66 

Abdominal binder for pressure 80 

Abdominal supporter 64 

Accidents of pregnancy 75 

Adenoids 199 

Cause night terrors 190 

Alcoholic habit formed through food 99 

Antiseptic 59 

Applicator 130 

Areola, darkening of 29 

Bands, abdominal for baby 55, 115, 153, 184 

Prevent diarrhoea 181 

Prevent rupture 202 

Baths, for baby 113, 129 

For mother 65 

Necessary for health 131 

Various kinds 66 

Barley water 180 

Bed, for baby 134, 138 

For confinement 83 

Warming in cold weather 152 

Bed pan 60 

Bed wetting 191 

Binder, for baby (see bands) 

For mother 59, 88 

In whooping cough 219 

239 



INDEX 

PAGE 

Birth, emergency 60 

Infection of eyes 108 

Marks 194 

Registration 118 

Without pain 36 

Bladder, disturbance 29 

Irritability 80 

Blankets for baby 57 

Blindness, prevention of 107 

Blue baby 113 

Bone forming diet 102 

Bonnet for baby 57 

Boric acid 57, 59 

For eyes 107 

Bottles, care of 158, 167 

First nursing bottle 165 

Selection of 165 

Bowels, and kidneys 65 

After confinement 89 

Mother's 71 

(See stools, constipation, diarrhoea) 

Bow legs due to diet 102, 196 

Breasts, care of 66, 67 

Massage of 101 

Breath, holding 195 

Bronchitis 211 

Broncho-pneumonia 211 

Burns 223 

Buttermilk for baby 164 

Caesarian section 34 

Candy for children 173 

Cape for baby 57 

240 



INDEX 

PAGE 

Carron oil 224 

Castor oil, after confinement 89 

In constipation 177 

In diarrhcea 181 

Catheterization after confinement 89 

Chafing 193 

Prevention of 133 

Chapping, oatmeal bags for 130 

Childbed fever 86 

Childbirth 82 

Natural process 34 

Painless 34 

Preparations for 36 

Chloroform in confinement 49 

Circumcision 132 

To cure night terrors 190 

To cure bed wetting 191 

Cleanliness essential 169 

Cleft palate 192 

Clitoris 132 

Clothing, for baby 54, 152 

For mother 62 

Coat for baby 57 

Colds 209 

Adenoids predispose to 199 

From thin soles 151 

Colic 182, 184 

Cry of 205 

Due to frequent feeding 95 

Due to mother's diet 98 

Due to sugar 116, 159 

Three months 162, 182 

To avoid 117 

241 



INDEX 

PAGE 

Condensed milk lacking lime 102 

Confinement (see childbirth) 82 

Care after 87 

Date of 30 

No one method 50 

Constipation, baby's 99, 176 

Establishment of 177 

Fat 178 

First symptom of disease 210 

Mother's yy, 99 

Convulsions in babies 204 

In pneumonia 212 

Of mother 33, 78 

Cord, care of 60, 112 

Corsets for mother 62 

Cotton, absorbent 58 

Cradle 139 

Crying 205 

Night cry 188, 206 

Of indigestion 165 

Of spoiled baby 228 

Cross eyes 195 

Dark, fear of 189 

Deafness following measles 214 

Deaths from diarrhoea 169 

Preventable 154 

Despondency 73 

Dextrimaltose 162 

Diapers, 56, 115, 152 

Rubber 56 

Diarrhoea in babies 179 

Deaths from 169 

242 



INDEX 

PAGE 

Diarrhoea in babies — continued 

Feeding in 160 

First symptom of disease 210 

In pneumonia 212 

Diet for mother 98 

After confinement 89 

Of prospective mother 69 

Diet of baby (see feeding) 

Bone forming 102 

Changing baby's 100 

For older child 173 

Discharge from female organs of baby 133 

Discipline 227 

Early 126 

Secret of 126, 229 

Douches 66 

After labor 89 

External 89 

Dresses for baby 56 

Disinfection following measles 215 

Following whooping cough 219 

Ear, ache 194 

Cleansing of 129 

Discharge from 194 

Inflammation of 221 

Inflammation following measles 214 

Eclampsia 33 

Avoided 78 

Eczema , 130, 193 

Cry of 205 

Emergency chest 224 

Endocarditis in scarlet fever 221 

243 



INDEX 

PAGE 

Enema before labor 82 

Epidemics, cause of 213 

Epilepsy 21 

Convulsions in 204 

Eugenics 17 

Exercise, after childbirth 35 

For baby 141 

For expectant mother 23, 64 

For mother 92, 99 

Eyes, care 109, 129 

Care in measles 215 

Crossed 195 

Infected at birth 108 

Of new born 107 

Wash 57 

When baby begins to see 122 

Fainting y-j 

Fear, curse of humanity 41 

In children 237 

Result of ignorance 41 

Feeblemindedness, inherited 18 

Feeding 154 

Artificial 156 

Best food 155 

In diarrhoea and constipation 160 

Over feeding 165, 170 

Regularity of 31, 95, 136, 161 

Supplementary 159 

Whole milk method 161 

Feet, swelling of 78 

Fever, childbed 86 

Inanition 86 

244 



INDEX 

PAGE 

First care of baby 107 

Flaxseed poultice 217 

Flow after confinement 89 

Fomentations 217 

Fontanel, when closed 198 

Foods, for prospective mother 69 

Laxative 71 

Foreskin retracted daily 132 

Fresh air for baby 144 

For expectant mother 23 

Schools 145 

Fruit for prospective mother 70 

Fumigation (see disinfection) 

Garters for mother 63 

Gauze, sterile 58 

Generative organs, cleansing of 132 

Gertrudes for baby 55 

Gripes 165 

Grulee method 163 

Habits established early 31, 125, 136 

Impressed upon the mind 232 

Of regularity 236 

Harelip 192 

Hearing of young baby 122 

Heat rash 193 

Heart beats of foetus 28 

Heart, inflammation of 221 

Heredity, definition 21 

Feeblemindedness 18 

Syphilis 20 

245 



INDEX 

PAGE 

Heredity — continued 

Tendency to disease 19 

Tuberculosis 20 

Hernia 200 

Strangulated 202 

Hives 204 

Holding breath spells 195 

Holding the baby 97 

Hospital, desirable for confinement 48 

What to take to 84 

Hot water bottle 117 

Housework for mother 64 

Icterus neonatorum 186 

Inanition fever 123 

Incidents of pregnancy 75 

Indigestion due to lack of sleep 134 

From overfeeding 165 

Intestinal disorders 176 

Jaundice 186 

Kidneys 78 

Care of 65 

Condition indicated by urine 32 

Inflammation following burns 225 

Inflammation following measles 214 

Inflammation in scarlet fever 222 

Kimonos for baby 56 

Kindergarten methods begun early 128 

Knee chest position 81 

After confinement 92 

246 



INDEX 

PAGE 

Knock knees 196 

Knowledge of baby necessary 121 



Labor 60, 82 

Date of 30 

Premature 34 

Laxatives 78 

Foods 71 

For mother 104 

Layette 54 

Legs, swelling of 78 

Life, feeling of 29 

Light at night 189 

Lime water in food 102, 157 

Liquor amni 28 

Lying-in period 87 



Malt sugar 159 

Marital relations 67 

After confinement 90 

Marking child 69 

Massage, of breasts 67, 101 

For baby 142 

For bow legs 196 

For constipation 178 

Mastoiditis in scarlet fever 221 

Maternity outfit 57 

Measles 213 

Medicines, care of 225 

Menses, in babies 133 

Suppression of 29 

247 



INDEX 

PAGE 

Mental condition of mother 21, 73 

Influence on physical 21 

Suggestion for children 233 

Midwife, danger of 86 

Milk, affected by worry 185 

Boiled 164 

Buttermilk 164 

Condensed 164 

Increased by massage 67 

Keeping warm at night 158 

Of magnesia 104 

Secretion 29, 123 

Sugar 159 

To increase 100 

Top milk method 157 

Whole milk method 161 

Morning sickness 29, 75 

Mother, care of 62 

Health 91 

Rest of 3 1 

Mouth breathing 199 

Care during pregnancy 68 

Care of baby's in, 129, 147 

Sore 147 

Wash 57, i°7 

Mumps 2I 5 

Mustard bath in pneumonia 213 

Nausea of pregnancy 29, 75 

Navel, care of 60, 113 

Nephritis in scarlet fever 222 

Nervousness due to lack of sleep 134 

Nettle rash 204 

248 



INDEX 

PAGE 

Night terrors 188 

Nipples, care of mother's 67, 101 

Selection of bottle 165 

Nurse engaging and qualifications 30, 31 

Nursery 61 

Emergency chest for 224 

Supplies of 211 

Nursing, baby 97 

Difficult 117 

Frequently 95 

When not desirable 156 

Nursing bottle 165 

Oatmeal bags 130 

Oil for skin 66 

Olive oil 57 

For constipation 177 

Rub at night 142 

Onion poultice 210 

Ophthalmia neonatorium 108 

Orange juice for baby 171 

Otitis media, in measles 214 

In scarlet fever 221 

Outfit, maternity 57 

Overfeeding 165, 170 

Over-lying 134 

Overwork 64 

Pads, sanitary 58 

Painless childbirth 34 

Pains, unnecessary 38 

Petticoat for baby 55 

249 



INDEX 

PAGE 

Physician, directions of • • • 2I 3 

Engaging early 2 4» 3° 

Protects public 4$ 

Qualifications of 3 2 

When needed at labor 82 

Pigeon toes x 9^ 

Pinless garments 57 

Pinning blanket XI 5 

Pituitary extract 5 2 

Pleurisy, cry of 2o6 

Pneumonia 2I ° 

Following whooping cough 2I 9 

Poison, taking 2I 3 

Pop corn for nausea 7° 

Poultice, flaxseed 2I 7 

Onion 210 

Powder 57 

Powdering baby r *4> x 33 

Pregnancy, symptoms of 2 9 

Prenatal influences 2I 

Preparations, necessary 54 

For baby l8 - 54 

Prepuce, tight, cause of night terrors 19° 

Cause of convulsions 2I 4 

Prickly heat '93 

Prospective mother, care of ._ 62 

Punishments 2 3° 

Pruritis ^ 

Quarantine 2I 4 

In whooping cough 2I 9 

Quickening 29> 3° 

Quinine in confinement 5 2 

250 



INDEX 

PAGE 

Rachitic rosary 197 

Registering birth 118 

Rest, baby's 135 

For expectant mother 8i, 94 

For mother 31, 67 

Rickets 197 

Cry of 206 

Rosary, rachitic 197 

Rubber, diaper 56 

Sheet 58, 139 

Rupture 200 

Safety pins 57 

Scarlet fever 220 

Convulsions in 204 

Schools, fresh air 145 

Sewing for baby 72 

Sex of baby 26 

Determination xj 

Influenced by diet 27 

Sex toilet 132 

Sheet, rubber 58 

Shawls for baby 57 

Shirts for baby 55, 115 

Shoes for baby 57, 1 50 

For mother 64 

Sick room, preparation of 87 

Signs of pregnancy 29 

Silver nitrate for eyes 108 

Size of baby 119 

Skin and kidneys 65 

Irritation of 66 

Skirts for baby 55 

-'51 



INDEX 

PAGE 

Sleep, and conduct 2 34 

Baby's J 33 

For expectant mother 2 3 

For mother 6 7 

Out of doors for baby *44 

Sleeplessness, of baby x 93 

Of mother 7^ 

Slips for baby 5& 

Soother n 7 

Soothing syrups 95» l 7° 

Spasms in babies 20 4 

Spina bifida x 9 2 

Spoiling baby 3h 136, 22 7 

Stockings for baby 57 

Stools of baby Il8 

Green 2I2 

Stubborn child : 3 X 

Stuttering x 94 

Sugar, in baby's milk *59> 162 

For children x 74 

Of milk x 59 

Suggestion, power of 2 3 I 

Supplementary feeding for baby *59 

Supporter, abdominal °4 

Swallowing foreign bodies 20 3 

Swelling of legs and feet 7 8 

Swimming " 4 

Syphilis 20 

Syringe ^ 

Talking, first attempt I26 

Tears, repaired 9 2 

Teas, for baby 95, "6, 170 

252 



INDEX 

PAGE 

Teeth, baby's 102, 126, 146, 148 

Care of 146 

Mother's 68, 104 

Protruding 200 

Teething, care during 149 

Temper, cry of 206 

Temperature, how to take, variation 209 

Of nursery 61 

Thermometer 209 

Thirst, in pneumonia 213 

Of babies 169 

Of new born 122 

Thumb sucking habit 192 

Tonsils, enlarged, cause of night terrors 190 

Top milk method 157 

Toys for bath 130 

Training will (see discipline) 

Truss 201 

Tuberculosis, heredity of 20 

Cause of 20 

Following whooping cough 219 

Turpentine and oil in pneumonia 212 

Twilight sleep 42 

Discarded 46 



Undergarments for mother 62 

Urination, after confinement 89 

Delayed 117 

Frequent 81 

Urine, collection of 32 

Examination of 32, 78 

In pneumonia 212 

253 



INDEX 

PAGE 

Vaccination 204 

Varicose veins 63 

Due to pressure 78 

Knee chest position in 81 

Veins, varicose 63 

Ventilation, in measles 215 

In pneumonia 212 

In whooping cough 220 

Vernix caseosa 113 

Vomiting of baby, after feeding 161 

First symptom of disease 210 

In scarlet fever 221 

In whooping cough 219 

Vomiting of pregnancy 29, 75 

Walking, exercise for mother 64 

In sleep 188 

When attempted by the baby 126 

Water for baby 95, 116, 165, 169 

Boiled 169 

Water drinking for mother 65 

Weaning baby roo, 171 

Weight of baby 119 

Loss after birth 120 

Well born child 17 

Wetting bed 191 

Whooping cough 218 

Wool undergarments for prospective mother 64 

Womb, following confinement 91 

Tears of 92 

Worms, cause of bed wetting 191 

Cause convulsions 204 

Cause night terrors 190 

Worry, affecting milk 185 

254 



By E. B. Lowry, M.D. 

HERSELF 

TALKS WITH WOMEN CONCERNING 
THEMSELVES 

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Illustrated. Cloth, i2mo. 
Price, $1.00 net; by mail, $1.10 

For sale by all booksellers and the publishers, 

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By E. B. Lowry, M.D. 

HIMSELF 

TALKS WITH MEN CONCERNING 
THEMSELVES 
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For sale by all booksellers and the publishers, 

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By E. B. Lowry, M.D. 
CONFIDENCES 

TALKS WITH A YOUNG GIRL CONCERNING 
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FALSE MODESTY 

THAT PROTECTS VICE BY IGNORANCE 
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By E. B. Lowry, M.D. 

THE HOME NURSE 

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For sale b\> all booksellers and the publishers. 

FORBES & CO.. 443 S. Dearborn St., CHICAGO 



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